Goofy Chicken

Congratulations to Bungle, the millefleur pekin who

successfully hatched 4 pekin chicks on 4th July!

Bungle began showing signs of broodiness on 17th May and it was clear those powerful hormones had taken over and this little lady was not going to give in until she had some fertile eggs placed under her!

A broody hen is a very determined hen. Her behavior can sometimes dramatically change from a sweet little angel to a squawking  and shrieking little terror, raising her tail and fluffling out her feathers should you attempt to go anywhere near her. She also spends hours in the nest box, making sure no other hen can enter to try and lay an egg. She lies flat like a pancake, her eyes focused as though in a trance. And worst of all, a broody hen will  most likely stop laying any tasty eggs for you! I have had 2 different experiences with 2 different  kinds of broodies.  Zippy was a very placid and gentle broody whereas Bungle was the terror broody!

Zippy, ‘The Determined but Placid  Broody Hen’

After many desperate attempts to try and break Bungle’s broodiness,  I finally realized that the hens have beaten me again…

I made up a soft straw nest in our rabbit hutch, perfect for a broody to sit on eggs in peace. Bungle was placed in the hutch for a couple of days with some pot eggs to see if she would settle which she did without a doubt.  Around tea-time on 13th June, I carefully put 4 eggs under Bungle.  These had been laid previously by Kojak, the buff pekin, the father being the one and only Lemony Splicket of course!

Well what a dreary, foggy morning it is out there! However, there is always something to put a smile on your face! Despite the gloomy weather, all hens were in high spirits and just want to say hello!

“Good Morning!”

“Hello, How are you today?”

“OOh tis a bit foggy today!”

“My babies are all grown up!”

“Still can’t find my doodle!”

“Hello Everyone!”

“Hi-ya!!”

“Hello there!”

“Hi! I’m Maize Moo!”

Well, as the days grow  much colder and shorter, the hens are not put off by their regular sporting activities. Today is the  start of Beak Ball practice and my favourite team so far appear to be the Ex Bat Hens who outshine Pekin Chicks and Cheeky Pekins. Poor Maize Moo, the millifleur Sablepoot, is getting a rough deal and appears to be  doing all the hard work whilst Kojak the Pekin takes all the glory, snatching mealworms from under Maize Moo’s beak. Pekin Chicks, on the other hand, are needing further practice and hopefully Mummy Zippy will encourage her chicks to perform better. Lemony Splicket, the cockerel, is a slow learner but his growing size may eventually be in his favour.