The first signs of spring are finally here, and I feel like I’ve been holding my breath for them.
We’ve got little crocuses, lilies, and daffodils popping up, garlic and shallots I planted in the fall making their appearance, and our fruit trees are just starting to bud. Our barn cat had a fresh litter of kittens, and our spring chicks are growing.
There is life everywhere.
And yet… this week also reminded me that life on a farm doesn’t come without loss.
The Chicken Experiment
About two months ago, I traded a neighbor some winter squash for ten fertilized eggs. We tucked them under a broody hen who was very enthusiastic about motherhood.
Now, I had never let a hen hatch her own chicks before. Most people I know use incubators and introduce the chicks later, once they’re big enough to hold their own. But I thought—how hard could it be? Nature knows what it’s doing… right? It’ll be a fun experiment.
Well… nine of the ten eggs hatched.
And our broody momma? She’s been… an okay parent. Questionable, at best.
At one point she let them wander out into the coop when they were barely a month old… in 45-degree weather. So. We’re working with a mixed report card here.
The Loss
Last week, I would have told you the chicks were thriving.
This week? Not so much.
Twice — twice—I went out to feed the chickens and found the older hens eating one of the chicks.
I wish I was exaggerating.
And then today, one of the babies squeezed through the run fencing. We got it back inside, felt relieved… and hours later realized it was gone again. Completely vanished. Most likely taken by a bird predator.
It was… a lot.
Honestly, I don’t know why I was so shocked to see the hens behave that way—but I was. I felt disgusted. And if I’m being honest… a little betrayed? Which feels dramatic to say about chickens, but here we are.
More than anything, I felt sad. Sad that I wasn’t there to protect that little chick. Sad that her momma couldn’t protect her either.
The kids took it hard too.
They couldn’t understand why the animals would act like that, and the best explanation I had in the moment was:
“They’re animals… tiny dinosaurs, really.”
Which felt both accurate and wildly insufficient.
This is one of the chicks that I found dead in the coop. We had 9 chicks, four were yellow/white-ish. So far, 3/4 lighter colored chicks have died / gone missing from the coop. I suspect the most recent was chased out of the run (squeezed through the fencing and probably snatched up by a predator).
I Expected Loss – Just Not the Shock That Came With It
I knew going into this that loss was likely. That’s part of why I was open to taking all ten eggs—I assumed the survival rate would even things out and we’d maybe end up with half.
What I wasn’t prepared for was how we’d lose them.
But this is livestock. And where there is livestock… there will be loss.
Lesson learned—just not gently.
Beyond the Drama – We’re Sending It … all of it.
Outside of our chick drama, things around the farm are moving right along. The garden and orchard are in “hurry up and wait” mode.
We’ve marked off the garden space, built and place ten raised beds, and filled them hügelkultur-style. I’ve been tracking the sun and working on a sun map to figure out the best placement for everything—which sounds very organized… I’ll share the details in my next post – otherwise this one will just be forever long.
BIG NEWS!
And because apparently, I didn’t have enough going on…
I’ve decided to start a cottage bakery from home. What is a cottage bakery? I’m glad you asked! A cottage bakery is a small, home-based business where bakers create and sell goods directly to consumers from their personal kitchens, operating under local “cottage food laws”. In my home bakery, I’ll focus on breads, cookies, and pastries—that do not require refrigeration. I’ll start out with selling sourdough bread, my favorite chocolate chip cookies, and granola (which you can find on my recipes page!).
Our chickens are also producing enough eggs that we’re also going to be selling those too.
Because if we’re growing all the food… we might as well bake it too. I’m excited to be starting out this small business and look forward to connecting more with my community!
If you are just learning about cottage bakeries, I encourage you to find one in your area. Most communities will have a Facebook page dedicated and when you buy from them, you’re supporting a small business owner.
Spring is showing off, the chickens are keeping us humble, and we’re learning as we go.
Wouldn’t have it any other way.
Here’s to new growth, hard lessons, and trusting God with both.
Until next time, friends, be blessed.
