22 degrees on the farm this morning under clear skies with light winds. Seedlings are really putting on the new leaves. Sweet potato slips have roots. Flats are ready for new seeds. Chickens are out but staying close to the hen house. The one dark chick that was struggling yesterday did not make it through the night. The remaining baby chicks are huddled together under the brooder lamp staying warm. Quarantined dog is still not happy but she is obedient. Life on the farm is good.
Yesterday's summary - Little momma hen turned on her dark colored babies through the night. She had killed all but two by the time we got to her in the morning. 38 was just too many chicks for her to handle. Lesson learned. We removed her from the chicks and placed her back in the chicken run. We nursed one dark chick through the day. By mid afternoon, a hawk had taken out little momma. This was an animal husbandry fail on our part. She had been away from the flock for basically a month and she had just been separated from her chicks. She wasn't able to watch out for herself. Lesson learned. The struggling chick didn't make it through the night. Sad day for the farm.
