That time of year again

Chicks are arriving thick and fast. Our first sitting mother has successfully hatched 12 (our previous record was eight!) It's incredible that she can get all the chicks snuggled under her, but she can. She fluffs herself up and they all pile in...

Hopefully they will all make it, but we know that is probably unlikely.Off to a good start though!

Steppin' out with mum!

In clover - some of the gang hunting in the grass

Four days old.

Of the twelve chicks, one is yellow (adult = white). This colour seems to be unusual (we often get broods with no yellow chicks at all) and they rarely survive. They are usually weaker than the others, and can be singled out for attacks by other birds, and even their own siblings as they get older. We really hope this one makes it!
We kept this family in a smaller cage for the first three days, to ensure none of the chicks get left behind when they roam, and to allow us to feed them extra mealworms! However, yesterday our next broody hen hatched eight chicks, so the first ones are now free-ranging, and the new family is in the smaller cage. This second hatching also has a single yellow chick...

 We'll post photos of the latest ones when we can. There are still two more sitting mums - hopefully they won't hatch just yet!