Sunny's Special Baby

On a recent blog post A Brighter Verde Farm we introduced you to our special bantam hen, Sunny,  or  Sunny De-Light, as cleverly coined by one of our readers. You may remember her determination to have her own clutch.  She tried so many times to have her own biddies, but for some reason or another her babies would never hatch. That is until the day she adopted an errant light bulb left in the coop by the hubby. She also laid and sat on her own eggs.  She had the eggs beneath her and the bulb under her wing.

Sunny D. sat patiently on the light bulb and eggs for weeks. Her big day arrived one chilly fall morning, when her wings began to peep, maybe even squeak, as the feeders were filled.  On closer inspection, her wings rustled. Suddenly a tiny head parted the feathers and quickly pulled back. It's a baby. Sunny's finally a mama.

After Brightie was born, Sunny abandoned her other eggs. The light bulb didn't fare any better. When it was picked up for the trash, it had been pushed to the other side of the coop.

Brightie has a big personality. Her mother is extremely protective. She tries to take the little tyke out to the run but the baby is too small to jump up to the ramp leading outside. Sunny sometimes goes ahead,  leaving the chick behind. But, not for long.  As the baby stands in the makeshift door and cries, cries, cries for its mother,  Sunny D. walks to the bottom of the ramp, turns around and walks back up. In less than 15 seconds, baby and mother are reunited.

We are so pleased with the new arrival and as predicted, Sunny's baby has made Verde a much "Brighter" place.

See a video clip of mama and baby: