lots of little chickies

Day 21 - hatch day - and by midday already 12 have hatched, with lots more pecking their way out. Soooo relieved I didn't lose them all. Even if half of them hatch, we'll be happy.

Vegetarians stop reading now please! These chicks are all going to be raised to go into our freezer at the start of autumn, as part of our plan to raise all our own chicken. Their dad is a Light Sussex (big chunky breed) and the mums are our various other chooks, mostly big dual purpose breeds like Wyandottes, Sussex, Australorp and Plymouth Rock. Easy to tell which ones are from the Australorps!