Ever researched how to hatch chickens? The internet is very clear that the temperature of the egg must remain at a constant heat and simulate the warmth of the mother’s body etc. etc. It involves lights, no drafts and other complicated procedures.
As you know, I have one rooster and 5 hens now. I regularly get 3 or 4 fresh eggs every day.
I have one worker, Jamsi, who is a self confessed chicken “fundi” (expert). He is constantly telling me that I need to get this medicine for the chickens or that feed for them…. I roll my eyes and tell him “yes” but secretly wonder if he is as knowledgeable as he says. This was especially the case when he asked me if I wanted chickens and I said “yes”. After this point, he began to collect the eggs on a daily basis and store them in the laundry. This went on for 4 weeks!!! After he had around 21 eggs that had been sitting in a box in the laundry for 4 weeks, I began to question him and his “expertise”. Remember, the internet research I had done was very clear about how sensitive to temperature, time and light these eggs are and the slightest shift could mean NO CHICKENS! My Swahili didn’t allow for a discussion about the internet advice but Jamsi understood that I was worried. Every day he would laugh and tell me “hamna shida, mama” (no worries, mama) soon! SOON! When? I would respond. “The chicken is not ready yet.” he would reply patiently. Eventually, the chicken was ready. He took a small box (previously used for water bottles) cut down the sides, filled it with hay and topped it with 12 eggs. He sat the white hen atop the eggs and told me that in 21 days I would have chickens!! I was sceptical. He asked me to pray over the eggs before he placed the chicken on them and I did so thinking that I was in fact, praying for a creative miracle. One day later, the chicken kicked 2 eggs out of the nest. “Too many” was Jamsi’s evaluation. I remained sceptical. 2 days later, he did the same with the rest of the eggs and placed a black hen on them. For the next 21 days these hens barely left the nest. They came outside of the hen house only for food and water, returning immediately to sit on the eggs.
Imagine my incredulity when this morning Jamsi shows me our first chicken, only 2 hours old!! To me this is amazing that these eggs are hatching?? After a 4 week period in the laundry?? Who knew??
Jamsi is busy building a wired enclosure under the raised hen house for the baby chickens. He says that they will stay in the hen house for the first week with their mother until their umbilical wound is healed??? Who knew that they had an umbilical wound??? Or was he talking about something else because I am not absolutely sure about the word for “umbilical” in Swahili! But he did point to his belly button?? But I am pretty sure chickens don't have umbilical cords!!
After this week the babies are allowed outside but only in the caged enclosure to protect them from hawks, mongoose, snakes etc. At this point, I am agreeing with the “fundi” about the welfare of the baby chicks. After the laundry episode, he has my attention.
As you know, I have one rooster and 5 hens now. I regularly get 3 or 4 fresh eggs every day.
I have one worker, Jamsi, who is a self confessed chicken “fundi” (expert). He is constantly telling me that I need to get this medicine for the chickens or that feed for them…. I roll my eyes and tell him “yes” but secretly wonder if he is as knowledgeable as he says. This was especially the case when he asked me if I wanted chickens and I said “yes”. After this point, he began to collect the eggs on a daily basis and store them in the laundry. This went on for 4 weeks!!! After he had around 21 eggs that had been sitting in a box in the laundry for 4 weeks, I began to question him and his “expertise”. Remember, the internet research I had done was very clear about how sensitive to temperature, time and light these eggs are and the slightest shift could mean NO CHICKENS! My Swahili didn’t allow for a discussion about the internet advice but Jamsi understood that I was worried. Every day he would laugh and tell me “hamna shida, mama” (no worries, mama) soon! SOON! When? I would respond. “The chicken is not ready yet.” he would reply patiently. Eventually, the chicken was ready. He took a small box (previously used for water bottles) cut down the sides, filled it with hay and topped it with 12 eggs. He sat the white hen atop the eggs and told me that in 21 days I would have chickens!! I was sceptical. He asked me to pray over the eggs before he placed the chicken on them and I did so thinking that I was in fact, praying for a creative miracle. One day later, the chicken kicked 2 eggs out of the nest. “Too many” was Jamsi’s evaluation. I remained sceptical. 2 days later, he did the same with the rest of the eggs and placed a black hen on them. For the next 21 days these hens barely left the nest. They came outside of the hen house only for food and water, returning immediately to sit on the eggs.
Imagine my incredulity when this morning Jamsi shows me our first chicken, only 2 hours old!! To me this is amazing that these eggs are hatching?? After a 4 week period in the laundry?? Who knew??
Jamsi is busy building a wired enclosure under the raised hen house for the baby chickens. He says that they will stay in the hen house for the first week with their mother until their umbilical wound is healed??? Who knew that they had an umbilical wound??? Or was he talking about something else because I am not absolutely sure about the word for “umbilical” in Swahili! But he did point to his belly button?? But I am pretty sure chickens don't have umbilical cords!!
After this week the babies are allowed outside but only in the caged enclosure to protect them from hawks, mongoose, snakes etc. At this point, I am agreeing with the “fundi” about the welfare of the baby chicks. After the laundry episode, he has my attention.
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