Broody Chickens
I love my chickens and their funny characters. Scratching and clucking around the yard. They can be silly and I never get tired of watching them.
One year I had a chicken get broody and I had decided to let her sit.
However, then her sister got broody too.
The problem was they wanted the same nest.
At first it wasn’t a big problem as they were laying and collecting up the eggs, but then when they started sitting some sisterly “pecking” ensued.
They were both equally determined and despite my efforts to put one of them off they both continued to sit on the nest. Generally one would be to one side and the other on the eggs but over the day they would bicker and swap around.
Hatching day eventually came (after 21 days), and the clutch of chicks began to emerge.
Two proud mothers clucked and crooned and 10 little chicks pecked their way into the world.
Now anyone who keeps chickens knows that it is normal to lose a few. Chicks are vulnerable to disaster and predators.
However, this particular clutch was very successful withall ten of them surviving into adulthood. After all they had two mothers watching over them with determination!
It was a blast to watch them rushing around the yard a mother at the front, and one at the back, the chicks pecking about between them!
Anyone who has some room in their garden I would thoroughly recommend keeping chickens.
Just 2-3 hens can give you 10 or more fresh, tasty and healthy eggs a week.
I never need to buy in food for my girls leaving them to roam in the garden, and giving them all our leftover food scraps.