Tuesday morning arrived at Faithful Flock Farm with the sweet, unmistakable sound of peeping coming from the incubator. Before we could even find our phone to capture the moment, two tiny Brahma chicks had already made their grand entrance into the world. By the time we reached the incubator, three fluffy babies were already peeping back at us, seemingly quite proud of their early start.
"Well, thanks for waiting on me," we laughed, watching two more eggs beginning to pip. It appeared the incubator had decided to start the day without any help from us. There is something so special about those first few moments of life, a quiet reminder that growth and new beginnings are always happening, even when we aren't watching.
The Grumpy Guardians of the JS Coop
As we made our morning rounds, we stopped first at the JS Coop to check on the residents. The three baby Seramas and two Silkies had recently moved in with Gideon and Midnight, which made the little coop feel quite a bit busier than usual. We had removed the extension the night before to make sure everyone was tucked in safely after dark, but the roosters were not impressed.
Gideon and Midnight, our two little Serama roosters, spent the morning pacing around and giving us very disapproving looks. They clearly had strong opinions about the changes to their floor plan. The babies, however, were nowhere to be found, apparently deciding that a rainy morning was the perfect time to sleep in. We smiled, knowing they were safe and warm inside.
A Game of "Catch the Chicken" with a Silver Lining
Over at Mimi’s Coop, the hens were lined up at the door like bargain shoppers waiting for a store to open. The moment we unlatched the gate, they pushed and shoved, each one determined to be the first one to find a morning snack. We then headed toward the House of Joy, where the chickens didn't just walk out, they launched themselves into the yard like feathered rockets.
While we were making sure everyone stayed where they belonged, something caught our eye across the yard. Prince, one of our roosters, and a white Leghorn were headed straight for the large cedar tree. "No, no, no! Not today!" we called out, but the chickens ignored us, as they usually do when an adventure is calling.
We went after Prince first, as we really didn't want him disappearing into the branches. As it turned out, God had a very specific reason for sending those two troublemakers on an adventure. While chasing them, we discovered that part of the fence had been knocked down during the recent storms.
The ground was soft from the rain, making it a bit of a struggle to push the fencing back into place. However, it was much easier to fix it right then than it would have been after half the flock discovered the opening. We looked at the escape artists and shook our head. "Fine," we said, "you win this round." Sometimes interruptions reveal what we need to see, and that morning, God used two determined chickens to point us toward a problem we did not know we had.
Helping Hands and Garden Progress
Just as the day was starting to feel a bit overwhelming, Joey arrived ready to work. We are always so grateful for the way help arrives exactly when it is needed most. The first order of business was hauling heavy bags of sand into Mercy Coop, clearing out the pile that had become a permanent decoration in our garage.
Joey has a way of finishing tasks faster than we can even add them to our mental list. Before long, he was filling feed cans and organizing supplies. Every time we looked out the window, something else was getting done. Two new chicken gardens were even starting to take shape right beside Mercy Coop.
Watching the progress made us realize how much of a blessing willing hands truly are. Our customers who visit us for farm fresh eggs often comment on the peacefulness of the farm, but it takes a lot of steady, daily work to keep things running. Whether we are tending to our pasture raised eggs or building new spaces for the birds, we try to remember that every task is a form of stewardship.
Muggy Heat and Unfinished Flowers
As the afternoon rolled in, the rain stopped, but it left behind air so warm and muggy that it felt like being wrapped in a wet blanket. We decided it was time for a cold fruit smoothie to help us keep going through the heat. Joey continued working hard until the mulch finally ran out, and we decided it was probably time to call it a day for the outdoor projects.
We turned our attention to the back porch, where we had a few beautiful red and white begonias waiting to be planted. However, between the humidity and the long list of chores, we only managed to finish two of the four baskets before we were completely worn out. We stepped back and looked at the unfinished pots, deciding they could simply wait. The flowers weren't going anywhere, and neither was tomorrow.
Solving the Mystery of the Tiny Escape Artists
Evening chores brought one more little surprise. While our friend Makayla was visiting to see the chicks, we noticed something that made absolutely no sense. The three tiny baby Seramas were wandering around outside their coop. We knew the fencing was far too small for them to squeeze through, so we were truly stumped.
Thankfully, the mystery was solved almost immediately when we noticed that one of the gates on the extender had come open because of a broken latch. We quickly repaired it and tucked the little ones back into their bed. It was just another example of how God sends help in the most practical ways, right when we need an extra pair of eyes.
As the sun began to set, we headed back to check the incubator one last time. By the end of the evening, six Brahma chicks and two Ayam Cemani chicks had hatched, with more on the way. Listening to those tiny peeps, we felt a deep sense of peace. The day was long, the fence was broken, and the flowers weren't all planted, but new life was here, and God had carried us through once again.
If you are looking for fresh, local eggs or just want to see what we are up to, we’d love to hear from you. You can find more about our daily life and our happy hens right here on our website.
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." ( Ecclesiastes 3:1)
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