Adoptive Mommy - I never expected this.

[sudolph]

My only hen who has gone broody this year is a Golden Phoenix, not a heavy bird. I set her with 6 heavy bird eggs, and she hatched 4 in a brooder. After 2 weeks I let her out. They did fine for the day, but she went to bed on the roost in the hen house and left the babies to follow her the best they could. Two didn't make it that first night.

I put her back into the brooder with the remaining 2 for another week, let her out yesterday, and she headed to the chicken house at bedtime, again. Both chicks made it up the ramp and into the chicken house last night but couldn't make it onto the roosts. The 2 pitiful little things just stood on the floor cheeping to beat the band when a Barred Rock, who has never gone broody in her life, hopped off the roost and sat on them. I can't believe it. She's doing it again tonight. She probably can't stand the noise, and those babies are happy as larks.

They are pitiful during the day, however. Their original mom tries to mother them when she runs across them, but she is too fast and wandering for them to keep up.

Sudolph

 

[steffpeck]

How sweet!!! I am glad they have a mommy to keep them warm.

 

[ChooksinIowa]

Awwww...that is so cute! What a sweet hen to go to their rescue. Or maybe she just wanted to get a few hours of shut-eye! Whatever the case, it's adorable. I hope they will do well with their night-time mom and day-time mom!

 

[Joy1]

How sweet.