Ahh, Peace and Harmony

[TheSpiceGirls]

I've just had a terrible time with my little backyard flock over the past year. I've had vicious bullies. I've had ugly molts. I had to put down two hens. I have a teenager hen who refuses to sleep in the hen house w/ her sisters but prefers the tree. Then last week my BO went broody again. No biggie. But the other BO was viciously attacking her.

So I put the broody in a dog crate and tonight was 72 hours. I put her back in the run when I got home from work and headed out for a quick work out at the gym.

When I came home, my broody is broody no more. Not only is she roosting, she's roosting right next to the BO that attacked her last week. So it appears they have made up.

And my teenager Andalusian was inside her house with her two sisters.

I know it won't last. But for tonight, I have peace and harmony. I was so happy, I could have cried.

Here's my sweet Honey in her broody state.

 

[ChicKat]

Or -- maybe it will last!!! Wasn't there a total eclipse in the southern hemisphere...doesn't an eclipse change everything?? LOL,

I liked your report on the peaceful flock. Interesting about your broody too...do you think it was just two moves that brought her out of it?

 

[theoldchick]

I had a total of 12 broodies this year. I tried to break one by moving her. Didn't work. She brooded where ever I put her!

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Well, I put her in the dog crate in the garage and let her free range w/ her flock after 24 hours but she was definitely still broody. I did this again after 48 hours and she seemed like she had gotten over it. But when everyone went in to roost, she went back to her nest. So back into the dog crate for the 3rd night. And that did it.

The afternoon of the third day, she started calling to her flock mates and my Jersey Giant was answering back. This broody never makes a sound. So I didn't believe my husband at first. But he said the two of them carried on and on and on and he finally opened the dog crate and let her out and let out the rest of the flock and reunited them. And she's fine. She went to roost all on her own last night.

I will say that my Jersey Giant is the smartest bird I've ever had. She has the gift of gab and loves to chatter to me in the mornings when I go out to say hello. But the past three mornings, she's been LOUD. REALLY loud and non-stop. I could tell she was trying to tell me something but everything seemed fine. Well, she was telling me that her buddy (the broody one) was missing.

Because this morning, she was back to her soft chatter in the morning. Because her buddy was back with the flock. Such smart and sensitive birds. I just love my girls.

 

[ChicKat]

Great story....It's neat to hear anecdotes about chicken smartness!!

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Maybe they feel the joy of the upcoming holidays and have decided to knock it off. Lol.

 

[ChicKat]

Maybe they feel the joy of the upcoming holidays and have decided to knock it off. Lol.

Love your avatar. very creative.

 

[b.hromada]

Awwwwwww. You never know, it may just last!