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.

Hen Party - getting nervous

No, not a normal run of the mill pre-wedding Hen Party - but a "Learn how to look after chickens including the day to day maintenance, feeding, health checks and how to handle your chickens" kind of hen party! Its co-ordinated by Omlet, the makers of the wonderful Eglu, and I am nervous and excited at the same time.

Check back on Sunday to see how it went!

Piccies of our guests and my latest craft ideas!

I've attached a few photos of Matilda, the chickens barging into the kitchen much to Tilly's amusement and one of Pepper (Matilda and Pepper are our guests)and of the egg cosies I'm making! Enjoy

Incubating News and update on the guests

Well, Pepper and Matilda turned up on Sunday morning and settled in quickly to their holiday chalet. The following morning, I was pleased to take delivery of a lovely large egg from Pepper. She obviously felt right at home. Pepper and Matilda are very vocal and have made themselves heard above my own lot. Dansak and Pepper appear to have made friends and regularly spend time chatting away through the run. I am thinking that I will let Pepper and Matilda out on Sunday afternoon if its dry for an hour or so just to stretch their legs and have a wander.

The incubator is plugged in and 6 eggs (dorking x) are in place and being gently rocked and warmed. Having candled today (day 7) there is definate movement in two eggs, something dark in two others but the other two are looking sadly empty. However, I shall leave well alone for now and candle again in a couple of days to assess development. Its very exciting. I have just worked out that they are due to hatch on the same night as my husbands company Christmas Do - which of course is in February. I may have to forgo the slap up meal, dancing and overnight accommodation (away from the children!) for a night spent anxiously looking at the incubator.

My son arrived safely in South Africa by the way, but missed his connecting flight from Joburg - not his fault as his first plane arrived an hour late. No problems though as he was looked after and got the next flight and arrived early evening local time. He seems to have settled in already and the family he is staying with seem great.

Anyway - will update when either more amazing eggs arrive or I have news from the hatching eggs.

Eagerly awaiting the arrival of our first guests....

Pepper and Matilda will be arriving tomorrow morning for a 9 week vacation with us. Their accommodation has been cleaned out and kitted out with fresh bedding and we can't wait for them to arrive.

Matt, my 11yr old son, is off to South Africa tomorrow for 8 weeks - he's really excited and nervous and I'm not sure if agreeing to his going was such a good idea. I know he'll have a wonderful time but its such a long time. Anyway - at least he'll have the opportunity to get out of the disgusting weather we're having at the moment.

So - latest chicken news - the incubator is switched on and gently rocking and warming the 6 hatching eggs - Dorking X that will hopefully pip out in 21 days and a few months later will end up on the table..... I can candle the eggs next week to see if anything's going on - will update blog then.

Here are a couple of updated piccies - one of a damp hen seeking refuge and the other of the Omlet site in my back garden.

Let me introduce you and something to make your eyes water.....

I now have a photo of the latest additions to my brood, namely Dansak (on the right) and Korma. They are joining Whiskas, Felix and Kitekat in making my garden a scrappy lovely mess. What with all the rain we've been having, its quite a quagmire out there and they simply don't mind at all.

I've also put in a photo of one of Dansak's eggs compared against a Tesco Large Free Range egg. No wonder she was rather vocal this morning.

I have decided to rear chicken for the table and have done oodles of research as to which breed etc - am trying to find hatching eggs for Ixworth but they're like gold-dust and have been given some Dorking X eggs which should arrive tomorrow (along with the incubator). Am also going to get some Sasso day old chicks as these are supposed to grow quickly (before the males crow) but don't suffer from leg/heart problems. I just have to purchase the dispatching pliers now....