Broody nest mates

[cedarpondfarm]

I once had a d\'anver hen that never laid an egg but was very broody every spring.  And I mean VERY broody.  For months she would sit anywhere - on a nest, on plain wire, on the bare ground, even on a clump of grass after we mowed the yard.  I would eventually give her a few eggs so she wouldn\'t starve to death.  She hatched big chicks, little chicks, bobwhites, mallards, turkeys, and pheasants.  And loved them all.  We called her Faith because she was full of it.

Then I had another d\'anver hen that laid like a machine but would attack all things small and cheepy.  I know chickens don\'t have teeth but I swear she could snarl.  Needless to say, Miss Cujo had a tragically short life.  

They were full sisters.  Go figure !!         :0)

[verycherry]

Thanks for the support and advise.  It really was heartbreaking.  My 11 year old daughter found them first.  One was still alive, but she put it down herself before she brought them to me.  She\'s done that one other time when a young pullet was badly injured.  It just blew my mind that she could do it, but she said it was suffering and couldn\'t stand it.

Well Mike, you live, you learn.  I\'d let two Cochins moms raise chicks before and it all went so smooth, but I guess this was pushing it, Murphy\'s law and all that.  

I checked the chicks this morning and all is still good, but only one hen is actually sitting with them now.  The other two aren\'t in the nest any longer, but are still guarding them from me when they\'re out of the nest.  I think I\'ll take them out in another day or two.  Maybe those two Moms will go ahead and start laying again soon.  The Mom I took out is settling down so maybe she will too.

I did consider the racist thing Anne.  It really is odd.  I used to raise Persian cats, and had one black male that just hated every red cat I put him with.  Any other color was fine.  Makes you wonder.

[Beth C]

Sherry: Sounds like you\'ve raised a mature & responsible young lady!

I used to raise Persian cats, and had one black male that just hated every red cat I put him with. Any other color was fine

Now that you mention it, I\'ve noticed the same thing in horse herds. Now it makes me worry - I have a wheaten hen sitting on eggs from my blacks. Last year I had EEs of all colors hatching each others eggs, and even a little game hen that hatched a clutch of EE eggs, so I never gave it a thought...

[John]

chickens are \"racist\"

Segregationists for sure.  I remember back when I was a teen and my dad would buy 100 hatchery chicks.  I noticed back then that they segregated themselves into different groups in the brooder by markings.  Even today when I have different varieties penned together many times most of the buffs will roost together, etc.

FYI...yes I did split this topic from the lavender breeding one.

[verycherry]

So birds of a feather do flock together?....had to say it!

Beth, maybe your chicks will be ok since they\'ll all be the same color.  And it was only one of my hens that had a problem with it.  The others never got upset at all.