MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

Puts a rather different perspective on that rarely understood say about letting chickens carry out their natural behaviour doesn't it.
To get the full picture you would need a rooster. It all changes then.

I know.

But it's not likely to happen. A third rooster on the street would be too much for those few neighbours who are not enthusiastic about chickens, and that includes one of my next doors. She's come around to hens but I doubt she'd be ok with a rooster crowing and that's fair because she and her hubby work shifts.

 

[Shadrach]

Bye Pegsy!

View attachment 2953758

So that was roughly 40 minutes off the nest.

40 minutes is a good time. Donk got off her nest while chicks were hatching for a quick bite and bath.She was only gone for a few minutes but I had my heart in my mouth. I thought she might have changed her mind about the whole having chicks business.

 

[Shadrach]

Even my little flock would have at least tripled if each broody had hatched a clutch.

It's been fascinating watching Peggy flourish in this new role. I must find a way to accommodate regular hatches so each hen gets to do it. I'm sure I could give away excess hens to good homes around the neighbourhood.

It doesn't work out like that when free ranging. Some chicks almost always get taken by a predator.

 

[RoyalChick]

A little lording over the plebs from a higher perch.

View attachment 2953738

I bet she feels more than a little self-important right now!

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Oooo!! Newsflash. Look who got herself up again!

View attachment 2953694

8.30 am.

Two days in a row with no help.

I'm enjoying watching all this unfold.
Thank you for sharing Peggy's journey MJ. I may be inspired to get eggs for hatching next year!

 

[Grammy60]

Good morning/evening MJ and everyone

I agree with others, thank you for sharing Peggy's journey ❤

 

[rjohns39]

Good evening folks

 

[MaryJanet]

So far today she hasn't budged from her nest but it's only ten past seven.

My cousin lives in Berlin and is home for summer. She's staying at my place for a couple of days.and yesterday helped me move, count and stack 500 pavers.

The pavers had lived under these bushes for at least ten years.

The bugs. The bugs! The hens had feast!!!

They'd never seen so many bugs!

 

[MaryJanet]

I'm enjoying watching all this unfold.
Thank you for sharing Peggy's journey MJ. I may be inspired to get eggs for hatching next year!

I think it's a good way to bring new chickens in to a flock. It gives a broody hen a great experience and the chicks a good start in life, but it comes at the cost of finding something to do with the inevitable excess cockerels.

 

[MaryJanet]

Peggy's up again. It was 9.14am when I took this photo of her eggs.

Jan 4 egg is top right but on a different angle than yesterday morning.

As you can see, Peggy has moved all the straw to the sides and has her feet on the wooden floor of the nest box.

I'm worried this will be bad for her feet, so I lifted the eggs and filled in with a layer of straw then put the eggs back. I hope this was the right thing to do. I had Mary's leg cramps in mind from a few months ago.

Anyway, here's Peggy filling her tank before another long day's work caring for eggs.

With my own work to do, today I don't have the time to sit in the run until she goes back, but I trust she's doing everything right.