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If there is one thing you learn from me – make it this one.
That’s it. Just don’t. OK?
We got only 2 chicks out of the last lot of eggs. They ought to have hatched on Sunday the 9th, these two came along around the Monday, with one other chick not making it out of the shell.
I never thought Summer was going to be a particularly good mother and am quite sure the dead chick was down to her. And the lack of hatching among the other eggs I am putting down to the fact that she left them unattended for almost a full day.
Finally, Jessica and I removed the other eggs from under Summer and moved her and the two chicks into the nursery run. I then decided I needed to know what the other eggs contained. It was important to me to know if the eggs were fertile or not. I took them to the compost bin while Jessica nipped into the kitchen to get a knife for me.
I cracked the one egg I was sure was empty while she was away – yup it was. Then another one.
IT EXPLODED WITH A BANG.
I jest ye not! IT EXPLODED! Whodathunk?
We checked a couple and yes, there WERE dead chicks in a couple of them but by the time I had had 3 explosions I gave up checking anymore.
Ever since there has been an almighty bad smell coming from the compost bin – am kinda hoping it goes away as soon as possible!
In other news, we have had TWO dead rats near the shed. The bait must be working – yay! The two traps had been sprung on one morning but I think the bait is winning the war at the moment. The rat this morning was the biggest thing you have ever seen – and Iain is still reacting like a big girl’s blouse over the disposing of the bodies. For dear sake – if he can remove dead chickens why not rats?
*shudders*
Yea, you are right – there is a big difference between chickens and rats.
Show me your happy face though over the 2 dead’uns. Long may it continue!