Breaking News from our Hen House...fingers crossed

Spring is definitely in the air over here.  The weather is gorgeous, the grass is turning green and the neighbor's drake mallard is circling our house!!!

About a week ago he began his visits with this little lady right here....

Can you blame him??  I personally think she is the prettiest little duck around!!

He wasted no time at all, and about a week ago, Miss Duck went missing for a few hours and the very next day she surprised us by leaving us a treasure in the coop.  She had built herself a cozy little home and laid one egg!!  She has consistently laid one egg each night and we are up to 6 total!  She should lay a few more (most lay 8-12) before she starts setting.  Then we will begin the 28 day countdown to the birthday festivities!!!

In just a few days we will be able to "candle" the eggs to see if they are fertile or not (keep your fingers crossed).  Candling is when you cup your hand around a flashlight and then place the egg on top of your cupped hand.  The light will shine through the flashlight and let you take a peek into the egg to see there is a little friend inside.  At around 10 days you can see, so we are counting down the days!!!

My girls are so excited about all of the action here on our little farm, we just can't believe!!!  Coincidentally enough, we are using Apologia's Flying Creature's of the 5th Day for science, so our experiments have been amazing!!  From the hundreds of Canada geese that flew into to rest at the pond next door (of course not ours) on their big migration journey to the plentiful bats and owls we have around, to the pair of red tailed hawks that feast in the field behind our house to now the laying, nesting, and hatching of baby ducks...I couldn't have planned it better if I had tried!!!

Lets just hope Momma Duck is tending to her business and getting serious...cause I'm seriously needing me about 5 of them darlings following her to the pond!!!

If nothing happens, well we will all be disappointed, but we still have our faithful bluebirds who raise at least 3 families in their little home in our backyard every year.  They were doing some spring cleaning today!!  We can always count on them!!!  But, I have complete faith is Miss Duck!!!

Here are a few more pictures of our feathered ladies...everyone is just thrilled about the good weather and spending lots of time just cruising the yard!!!

And fighting over graham crackers!!!

You can even see here that while Marigold is about to chomp her beak around her a piece, Little Red has already seen one flying in from the distance that she is sure she can catch and enjoy!!!

I love this gals!!!