That's true. Life just keeps on happening regardless. Thinking of you RibhI am OK, thanks, WhoDat. Grieve & move on. I still have a lot of girls who need me & broodies to deal with. Plus my man hasn't been real well & I am babysitting this weekend so life plunges on.
Hope the man is on the mend soon. 
She is definitely the perfect hen and so beautiful!Luna is a fantastic chook! She's calm, friendly, lays well & doesn't fight with anyone. She's an absolute joy in the flock!
You need to compile all of this into an article..."The Broody Saga"...However silly it might be I do not like any of my girls being on their own when storms come through so Lavender went back in the big coop & promptly took up residence in her favourite nesting box ~ minus any eggs. This morning I went to hoy her out into the run for a constitutional because I am away tonight so everybody will have to be in the big coop so the man only has one lot of problems to keep an eye on. Lo & behold, Wrold was in the next box keeping Beatha's egg nice & warm & all fluffed up like an angry pine cone shrieking @ me.
So I transported her to the run where she sat & sulked for 5 minutes before deciding she really was hungry after all. Back I went to collect Beatha's egg & there was Alpia cuddling it!!!!
I'm sorry they won't knock it off...
, I'm also sorry that I giggled as I said I was sorry... 
I love all of this, but I really love the idea of adding them during cool months...good planning!I have a few things in my favour:
- The roosts are long & go up like a ladder. It is impossible for any one hen to patrol the whole length & repel all boarders. Even 2 can't do it. My BRs have tried.
- Most of my hens would fall into the more timid/less assertive category
- My lead hens are pretty laissez faire
- I generally try to add new hens in the cooler months when snuggling together for warmth overcomes any natural reluctance to share
- I don't have a lot of really big hens
I love your setup...I wish I had more room in the coop...but it was originally built for Banty's...I'm thankful they have a huge & safe free range pen!My young girls have been with the flock for quite a few weeks now.. I have separate but connected roosts and all the newbies use the small one until they are brave enough to move with the rest... the small house on the right is the one all my new babies use at first... of course have have to put them in there the first few nights so they know not to go in with the olders... but the olders usually let them know they are not welcome in the main roost area yetView attachment 2410294View attachment 2410295
The only fighting we have really dealt with is from the roosters...just too many!I very deliberately avoided breeds considered overly assertive, not because I don't like them, but because I wanted a pretty mellow flock & that meant I had to choose between breeds. Squabbling really upsets me so the less of it the flock does the happier I am. This present flock is excellent that way. I almost never get a full blown blue happening. Even pecking isn't very serious. On the other hand they are flighty & broody ~ but I cope with that better.
The fighting really wears me down too.I very deliberately avoided breeds considered overly assertive, not because I don't like them, but because I wanted a pretty mellow flock & that meant I had to choose between breeds. Squabbling really upsets me so the less of it the flock does the happier I am. This present flock is excellent that way. I almost never get a full blown blue happening. Even pecking isn't very serious. On the other hand they are flighty & broody ~ but I cope with that better.
