The Little Black Hen

Well. I gave up.

I thought there would be chicks under the broody hen by last Wednesday.

I kept checking, hoping, waiting. Nothing.

Yesterday when I went down to the barn, I told the little black hen that my plan was to throw those eggs away.

"It's not your fault," I told her. "Something must have happened to the eggs, either they got cold, or they weren't fertile to begin with."

She just looked at me in a distrusting way and crooned that soft little sound that she always makes when I go near her.

I have disturbed her almost every day. I lift her gently with one hand and peek under all her feathers to see...

eggs. Just eggs.

My mind was made up. I took an empty bucket along to put the eggs in and gently lifted her one last time.

Something wasn't right. One of the shells under her was broken.

BROKEN!! Whohoo!!

Sure enough! Looking closely (It's hard to do in the dark corner of the barn) I saw a tiny downy body! A baby chick!! Totally happy under the protective covering of her mother's feathers.

I gently lowered the hen back down on her eggs and her new baby, and I just sat there smiling in wonder.

Life of any kind is such a miracle. How awesome our God is! How amazing that a tiny baby chick can form inside a tiny egg completely detached from its mother.

The yolk of the egg is the food for the growing chick. Just before it hatches, the chick ingests the last of the yolk. God's perfect plan again, for not all of the eggs hatch on the same day. The baby chick can live for three days on that yolk, giving the other eggs time to hatch.

Once the chicks are all dry and fluffy, the hen will take them to water and teach them to drink. She will also show them the food.

She will make an excited sound and pick at the food and then drop it over and over till the chick comes to investigate.

They are so fascinating to watch and listen to!

Wow!!

Needless to say, I did NOT remove any eggs from the hen last night! I praised her for being so diligent. Then I turned out the light and let the new family sleep.

This morning there is another tiny baby piece of fluff under her. The little black hen is very protective!

I can't wait to see how many she hatches!

Time will tell!

Isn't God awesome!!

I praise you today, Lord Jesus! You are the creator of all life! Thank you! You are so worthy to be praised!!