Leghorn chick with five mums

[valeriebutterley]

Hi everyone,
have not posted for a while, have you missed me?
Just a posting to evoke a few smiles and the purists criticism.
All my bantams 4 Pekins and one Silkie cross went broody at the same time. Decided not to do the too cruel to mention bottom in a bucket treatment but just to leave them to get on with it. I must have removed dozens of eggs to discourage them, then decided to take advantage of the situation and bought 6 Black Leghorn eggs.
Only one of these eggs was fertile and hatched, a georgeous little chick with five mums to take care of him/her, two are favoured.
Are all chicks raised with broodies so advanced, confident, curious and self assured?- and only 2.5 weeks old! Watching them out in the sunshine yesterday I realised I've potentially let myself in for a lot of heartbreak, as I do the deed.
If I could post photos I would, I've tried before on this forum and it has never worked.
I noticed yesterday when they were all out on the grass, earth, the mothers do a thing similar to a cockerel, calling the chick to a tasty morsel
they have found in their imagination.
Anyway, folks, hope you are all well and having a good Summer so far.

 

[Marigold]

Hi Valerie, good to hear from you again, and yes, of course we've missed you!
What a lovely story about your little chick. I hope it has the good sense to turn out to be a girl. Not sure why you think anyone would criticise you on here, we are realists, not purists I hope, and although people might advise caution in not mixing chicks with adults who were not their mums in case problems arose, obviously your little girls are just dying to have someone to make a fuss of and it's worked out fine. What a shame only one hatched. Never mind, let's just hope you have another hen, who should be a lot bigger than her 'mothers.'

 

[chrismahon]

Lovely story Valerie. I would never have expected that arrangement to work out. Chicks reared by broodies have noticeably stronger leg development in my experience. But ours lacked any social skill when faced by much younger incubated hatches and hid in the coop. Presumably that's because mum sorted out any squabbles. They could certainly fight though -that's the leg development paying off.

Here we have the Pedigree Gascogne Noir chickens, which is I think basically a Black Leghorn. Everyone seems to have them free ranging anywhere and they are certainly not cheap. The foxes eat well and the breeders are kept busy. Before that I had only seen white Leghorns.

 

[dinosaw]

Was feeling really miserable this morning but your story brought a smile to my face Valerie, so thank you for cheering me up. Fingers crossed for you.

 

[Marigold]

Before that I had only seen white Leghorns.

I have a lovely Brown Leghorn, with beautiful golden hackles which really shine in the sunlight against her brown body plumage. Same as an ordinary leghorn in all other respects, ie flighty bird, lays nice white eggs. So it would be interesting to see what a black leghorn is like, Val, if you can crack the photo problem!

 

[valeriebutterley]

Hello and thanks for your nice posts, Marigold, Chris, and Dinosaur.
Yes, Chris I noted your comments about leg development, this little chap/chapess has legs like an ostrich, long, deep yellow and STRONG!
When first born it was utterly adorable, black/white with lovely slender yellow legs, and loads of girlie squeaks and a "don't touch me" attitude, too wimpy to be a boy I thought.
In two weeks there have been a few changes, no more mumsy cuddles, it jumps in and out of the bantam house to the garden - a height about six times it's size, with a mere flip of its wings, is either up or down the ladder to the loft, and last night I watched it take a flying leap at the perch, as most of the girls seem to be back on it, it did miss the perch but was not deterred, went and found an alternative warm body for a sleep over. It is certainly a character, and leads its elders and betters a real dance.
I have to say I don't know how long this harmony will last, but I'm hoping it will as my Pekins do seem to be a real democratic bunch, no real leader has ever emerged from my current hens.
All for now, folks.

 

[valeriebutterley]

hi,
all is still very well with the bantams and chick. Never have I seen such a forward little ball of fluff. On the perch now, quite a high one in the upstairs roost, by itself between two warm bodies, and out and about, when ever the others are, it seems to be the way to go, two serious mums and three stand by aunts!
Still hope it lasts.