WMHH BREAKING NEWS! Miss Scarlett had a sweet December surprise. While checking on Buddy Yahoo, who was convalescing in the Chick Inn after Bumble Foot surgery, Scarlett heard peeping from the upper level. Henny Penny, the ever broody hen, hatched seven baby chicks. This is a first time hatch but serial attempt at setting on eggs for Penny.
When asked about the unusual timing of chicks hatching, Scarlett sighed, “We just got tired of fighting her! Penny has been broody since the day she came into egg development, which was May and we knew we had nothing to lose. We chose mostly Americana eggs, not even knowing if they were all fertile and put her on them in the Inn and she never moved!”
“There are some benefits to hatching in fall or winter, mainly that the new poults will be laying right at spring when the days are getting longer. You can’t beat a hen hatching chicks. It is so much easier, the survival rate is almost 100% and they are just so much happier.”
The gender of the new fluff balls is still unknown, but they’re hoping to add seven new laying hens to the Egg Plant.
Mother and chicks are all doing great and have since been moved down to the Inn lower level, where scratching, dusting and bug hunting can be enjoyed.