Ken's babies.

One of the Rhode Island Red hens in the chookhouse has been sitting on four eggs for three weeks.  Ken calculated that they should hatch about the time of his birthday and sure enough....

three hatched, but one is still in the egg.  Alive, and cheeping, pecking at the shell to get out, but Mum Hen has decided she has enough on her hands with the three chicks, and abandoned the fourth egg today before it had time to hatch.  Ken has been holding it in his hand all night to keep it warm, but I said there is no way you are going to bring that egg into bed with us!  So he has wrapped it in some soft fabric and put it on to a hot water bottle in a box in our dressing room (walk in wardrobe) where the cats won't find it over night.

Next day....the fourth chick survived, and is doing well with his siblings ;-)