Pretty amazing!

[Frenchchickens123]

Hi, I have just had my first broody hatch her eggs 4 out of 5. She has left the nest today and joined the rest of the flock, which did worry me a bit. However something quite amazing happened. As expected the other hens came and started picking on the new mum with her chicks, I thought I may have to separate, but when I came back to check on her my cockeral was standing guard chasing off the hens who came to pick on the hen and her chicks! So my worries are over. My cockeral is a French copper maran and it's not the first time. My last incubation had 5 chicks and I went away leaving the OH to look after them. In his wisdom he decided to chuck the tiny 3 day olds with the rest of the flock! However my cockeral stayed with them the first 2 days to look after them and make sure they got food even finding it for them. They now have a 12 week pullet looking after them and even spreads her wings to keep them warm. Chickens never cease to amaze me and I'm sure many other people have seen or heard chooks that do some pretty cool things

 

[Anonymous]

Mine all tend to be hooligans (thieving, vandalism, attacking the cat, flaunting themselves & tormenting the boys next door...) but 1 of next doors Orpington boys is lovely - when their Pekin bantam tries to attack me the Orpy boy chases him off then guards me LOL!

 

[Marigold]

Yesterday, my 23-week-old hybrid laid her first egg - in the dustbath - I could see she was trying to lay it but didn't know what to do, so I pointed her in the direction of the henhouse and the nestboxes, but she came out again and got in the dustbath. When I went in the run again, the other POL, who is her best friend but who hasn't laid yet, was in there with her, and they were both looking in amazement at this strange new thing which had arrived from nowhere! It looked just like a midwife assisting at an emergency birth. Their expressions were so funny. Maybe it's the trendy thing for chickens to do, like humans with water baths for home confinements. I've now put a temporary lid on the dustbath, and today she's rather concerned about that but i want to try to train her into more normal habits!

 

[darkbrowneggs]

How sweet

Try putting a pot or rubber dummy egg in the nesting box which might encourage her to lay in the right place

All the best
Sue

 

[foxy]

Lovely! Chickens never cease to amaze me!

 

[charlielavin]

Great stories! Really made me smile

 

[Anonymous]

We have just placed our 6 week old banties in with our other banties, and were worried about the others bullying them, as we have 3 roosters and approx 25 hens in the same area...but low and behold, not one of the chicks were bullied because our youngest (and definitely the lowest in pecking order) rooster protects all 7 of them! They are so sweet, and very well cared for by "Chickie"!