Foster Pullet is raising some youngins'

[Larkspur88]

The pullet is about 6/7 weeks old and the babies are 2 weeks old, but for the small one on the right which is about 5 days old. I have the big one named McNugget separated from the others her age because of health issues. They pecked at her butt until she was bleeding terribly. Thought it was just them being bullies. So have just kept her separated and went and got the new chicks. I won't go into the spill about her issues, but if anyone can help please visit this thread she is having problems with a "wet" butt?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=480873

Anyway,

So I didn't expect the reaction I would get by keeping them together. (The babies and the older "baby") It was 87 degrees outside so I let them out to play for a bit supervised of course and was amazed that McNugget has NO interest in her old cronies and the older chicks don't care about her anymore. And the young chicks (I have 7 total) follow McNugget around like she's their mom! McNugget doesn't even care. She seemed to enjoy it. She would go lay under the bush with them in the shade and they'd cuddle around her wings and when she stood they would stand in her shade and follow her. The older ones were even afraid to approach her like she was a momma chicken with her hatchlings. Just thought I'd share!

 

[theoldchick]

How cool is that?!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
X2

 

[b.hromada]

What a doll!

 

[cochinGurl]

omg so cute!!!

 

[gryeyes]

I find it so interesting how some chickens take on fostering roles totally against what you would think. Some of my chicks "choose" somebody to mother them and occasionally it works out that the Chosen One accepts that role.

Out in the yard, I have a young bantam BR (I think it's a bantam, maybe just a runt) which has decided a rooster is its protector, and it snuggles up to the rooster, pushing up under one of his wings. After a bit of jostling, the roo simply lifts his wing and the youngster snuggles in under it. It is SO freakin' adorable.

In the brooder, some BFF develop between chicks of the same age, and sometimes with chicks of disparate ages. It's almost like Big Sister, Little Sister baby-sitting behavior.

Your example is absolutely adorable. Thank you so much for sharing the photo!