 |
| The Diary of A Future Chick |
|
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| translated from French by Elena Malec |
| And the big day is here... |
 |
 |
| "We are now getting closer to |
| the big day... |
| May 11th, it's full moon...and |
| we are ready to discover the |
| world! |
| However we know that the |
| children will not come until |
| Sorry! We can't help it... One |
| little peck... and we pierced the |
| eggshell |
| for a breath of fresh air... |
| It is 11 o'clock. We have still |
| enough strength to spread |
| before breaking out |
| of the shell; out of 12 eggs |
| three of us were in a big hurry. |
| At 1 PM three more chicks |
| joined us. The other chicks |
| will wait for the night |
| to join the crowd. |
| On Tuesday, May 12th, early |
| morning Alexandra discovered |
| three lovely |
| one-day old chicks outside |
| their shells, still drowsy after |
| this big adventure. |
| This morning she will record |
| live on video the arrival of two |
| more chicks. |
| Wednesday, May 13th. |
| We have to show the children |
| that we were able to do it |
| all by ourselves. |
| We are already five to huddle; |
| the light bulb in the hatchery |
| still flashing to |
| keep the temperature at 99 |
| degrees F. which we need. |
| Six more chicks were born this |
| afternoon; only one could not |
| make it. |
| We will be a large family of 11 |
| little ones: hens or roosters...? |
| ...we know it, but nor Alexan |
| dra neither the children will be |
| able to tell |
| for several weeks yet. |
| This evening, still Tuesday, |
| of May 13th, we were moved |
| into a nest box |
| where we can freely wriggle |
| about, peck some, drink a bit |
| because we had |
| a tough day and also hot; we |
| shall rest under the lamp that |
| provides us |
| with the warmth the hen had |
| given us, which is called a |
| candling lamp. |
| This lamp will keep us warm |
| for a whole week, mostly at |
| night. |
| We are happy to be here... but |
| tomorrow afternoon will be |
| when we will show the children |
| what we could do because we |
| had their support |
| even more so |
| during these three weeks. |
| From here we will move then |
| to the coop maybe in a month; |
| and when they |
| will come every Wednesday to |
| Alexandra's it will be our turn |
| watching |
| them at work in the flower |
| garden and the kitchen garden |
| and we will be saying then: |
| keep up with the good job! |
 |
| the two Thomas, Ariane, Aline, |
| Virginie, Jérôme and |
| Laurencia... |
|
| One-day old chicks growing big... |
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