Hatching Eggs

I found hidden treasures in my backyard! Two of my hens have hidden themselves away to hatch a clutch of eggs.

One is setting in a 5 gallon bucket....



She has been setting now for nearly 3 weeks, which means that if the eggs are good they'll be hatching any time. She is a great mommy, puffing up her feathers and pecking anyone (mostly me) who tries to touch her eggs. She has stayed on these eggs through two massive rainstorms that has soaked her and her eggs. I wish her the best of luck.

The other has picked the lilac bush...



This hen has got the best situation of all. She has nestled down into the middle of the lilac bush, so she gets shaded from the sun and protected from the weather. I found her 2 weeks ago, so she may hatch her eggs at any moment or in a week, depending on how quickly I found her.

I will have to try to get to the babies before the cat does. She got the whole clutch as a meal last go round. She is the very best hunting cat I've ever had, and she teaches her kittens to hunt too, which means that I have bird feathers everywhere and an occassional mouse lying around too. The other day I walked outside to see two dead robins on the porch. She had killed them and brought them to her babies to play with and eat. May they learn well and kill all of the mice that come into our yard!

I hope you all have a happy day filled with sunshine and discovery of hidden treasures of your own!