Pullet Adopting chicks

[amcstay]

I have a five month old RSL pullet, Ariel, that was part of a trio, her clutch mates got really mean and we had to get rid of them via rehoming, so she was lonely(at least that was what we said to ourselves).

We got "her" 2 more chicks. At first she wanted nothing to do with them, but tonight I heard this huge racket in their run/coop. I had blocked off the nesting box so she would not sleep in it, but she had pulled down the metal panel I had put in there. So off I go to fix it and move the three girls onto their roost.

Before I can leave the run, the chicks are peeping and squealing and trying to get under her on the roost. What does she do? Squats on them! She has never laid an egg, was rasied by humans, and has only since yesterday really taken to these chicks... I just shook my head and walked away. I mean, come on, keep them warm, but on the ROOST?

Makes me wish I could let her raise her own peepers.....What a good adopted mother.

 

[gerry913]

I wish I could have one of our pullets do the same thing! It's always the rooster

 

[amcstay]

At least he is in touch with his feminine side

 

[PotterWatch]

That's sweet! We had one do the same thing. She was in a coop with her sister and her sister was killed by a feral cat. The chickens in the other coop wouldn't accept her so we got a couple of older chicks to keep her company. They followed her around just as if she were their mom.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

There is always a point with my little silkie hens that they get tired of sleeping in a nest box with the babies. They will then move them all up on a roost and try to hunker down over the babies while they all balance on the 2x4. It's hysterical.
This latest mama would take all the babies into the coop early and line them all up on the roost for "practice" and then would herd them all back into a nest box when the other chickens came to bed. They did that for about two weeks before she abandoned them to their own devices and starting roosting with the big hens again. The babies very dutifully line up on the roost now. It's sweet.

 

[amcstay]

PotterWatch, is yours a RSL too? She looks just like mine.

CityGirl, that is way too cute.

 

[PotterWatch]

She is a hatchery RIR. She was still getting in her all her adult plumage when that picture was taken so she looks a little lighter there than she is now.