From one extreme to another

A few weeks ago, we had the huge egg. Today, we have the small egg - its the one on the left. It's Kitekat's first egg (that I've found). Fingers crossed they are going to get bigger!

Here they are ....

The chicks have arrived!

The eggs are cheeping!

Right - we're now in countdown ..... chicks due to hatch on Friday 8th Feb. All four are happily cheeping/chirping (?) and I thought I heard some pipping going on. This is all so exciting - fingers crossed they'll all survive the hatching process. They have already been named - Roast, Kiev, Soup and Pie although maybe that wasn't the smartest thing!

The brooder is all set up and ready - the lamp works, the woodshavings are in place - the drinker and feeder just need filling up......

Will update and post pictures as soon as they arrive (of course, I'm due out overnite on Saturday aren't I - the babysitter will probably be the first human they ever see!) I might have to feign illness.......

The chicks are getting ready to hatch

The brooder arrived this morning - it is now all put together and waiting for its first guests. I have removed the incubator from the turning cradle, removed the egg bars, put some muslin on the bottom and filled the water trays. The air vent is fully open and the temperature maintained.

Having candled the eggs earlier today, I am pleased to announce that all four eggs have movement within - I had thought that two hadn't progressed but I was wrong!

Friday is day 21 .... pipping could be today or tomorrow ..... safe arrival (fingers crossed) by Saturday!

Hen Party ......

I think it went ok. The people who came seemed to get what they wanted from the morning - including frostbite. Chocolate cake was on offer and that seemed to go down well too. I know I've only had chickens for a little while but maybe that counts in my favour as everything is new, I've made mistakes and remember them and am learning all the time.

I have two more courses coming up and they're both fully booked ..... its all very exciting. Its not all hard sell on the Eglu either - the course is a beginners guide to keeping chickens - not a beginners guide to the Eglu/Cube. I did make sure I talked about the pros-cons of traditional wooden chicken house to the Omlet version and mentioned why I came to my own decision.