Farm Photo: 6/3/07

Waiting With Whitey

8:04am

Note: If you're just tuning in, read this first.

We've been off the farm most of the day (couldn't be helped), and I was sure I'd miss all the hatching action. I had horrifying visions of fluffy newborn chicks accidentally flinging themselves off the edge of the nesting box and thudding onto the ground four feet below, but fortunately they went unfounded. I arrived home a few hours ago to find Whitey looking much the same as she did when I left this morning, but I was too curious to simply leave her be. I wanted to see what, if anything, was going on underneath all that puffed up plumage.

The second I reached my hand toward Whitey she began pecking me to death, but I had outsmarted her by donning enormous protective fireplace/welding gloves in preparation of her attack. Okay, it was really Joe who outsmarted her, as the gloves were his idea, but he has a lot more experience with chickens than I do. Remember he's the one who taught me that the best way to catch a wayward chicken is with a net.

7:24pm

Anyway, the gloves worked beautifully, and I was able to pick up Whitey and have a quick peek at the eggs without losing any blood in the process. Boy was she pissed off. That girl has got glaring down to an art.

There were at least two eggs that showed signs of cracking, but nothing had actually hatched. So it looks like the only thing I'll be missing out on is a good night's sleep. I wonder if Whitey wants coffee. Oh yeah, and there are now two white eggs in with the rest.

This is Day 21 of Whitey Watch.

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