Egg Counting

I live on a small farm, so that when I'm not working my day job in the Church, I usually have plenty to get into that works mind and body. For me, in working with animals or garden it's a grounding sort of soul work that connects me with creation, with a place, and with my people (past and present).

January is often a time for dreaming of the spring and active preparation for the next season. While this year has been unusually cold for us it's not too different than normal. I just find I'm spending more time trying to keep fresh, unfrozen water for our livestock and poultry. As is my custom, I'm using January to look over seed catalogs and ordering a few things, and starting some chicken eggs in the incubator.

We've just locked down the incubator with 25 chicken eggs. For me that's always the nervous last few days when you stop rotating the eggs, increase the humidity, and wait to see the results in 3 days. There are all sorts of variables that can hamper a solid percentage of the eggs hatching in this mechanical incubator. Plus, I've got a new incubator with this batch, so there's sometimes a small learning curve about using a particular incubator in terms of how well it holds temperature and humidity.

I'm hopeful, as these eggs were beautiful and represented some of the best from our mixed flock of Welsummer and Easter Egger birds. 

Nervous days.

I guess that timely folk saying is true. "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."

But I am hopeful and working toward the best possibilities!