We're Having Babies!

My Buff Orpington hen, Ginger, is the broodiest hen I've ever had.  She is only a year and 3 months old and already she has been broody about 4 times!  So, I decided instead of trying to fight her on it, I'd let her set on a few fertile eggs I'd buy from a local breeder.  I got the eggs, put them under her and she diligently kept her post for 21 days until I noticed the beginning of pipping on one of the eggs I could see.  A small hole was starting to form on one egg so I peeked under her feathers at the other egg, and sure enough that one was pipping also.

Baby chicks are born with what is referred to as an "egg tooth" which is used to crack the eggshell so they can work their way out of the egg.  The action of poking these holes is called pipping.  The chick will crack the eggshell all the way around the blunt end of the egg until it is loosened and then it will push the shell open with its feet and out it comes.  Welcome to the world little babies!

Bananarama

I've almost never been so excited in my life! I have waited two years for my first banana plant to fruit and finally, just as I was about to leave town on a trip, my Musa Namwah decided to put out it's first inflorescense. I was somewhat horrified that I might be out of town when the bloom opened, but to my great relief, it mostly waited for my return.  Here is the sequence as it took place:

It will take about six months before these bananas will be ripe to pick and eat but at least now I won't have to worry about it blooming in the winter.