What’s a farm with out farm babies? Shadow, our little bantam hen who we lost this last winter, was our resident farm mama – the only hen, chicken or duck, who managed to hatch babies.

This summer, we’ve had four broody girls. Salty, one of our original bantam hens, was the last one to stick it out. She’s never showed signs of broodiness before, but this year she stepped up. She’s been sitting on a clutch of eggs.

Tonight when I was visiting the garden, I heard a peep. When I peeked in the Banty B & B I discovered three baby chicks with another one breaking through!

Shadow was a wonderful role model. Hopefully Salty turns out to be an excellent chicky mama. Three years ago when our first chicks hatched, Hannah said as she looked upon them for the first time, “It’s like we’re mommies.” Yup, that’s how I feel!

Keep your fingers crossed that we end up with more hens than roosters!