The Sisterhood (sorry, kind of long)

[happyhen]

I went to collect eggs yesterday morning, peeked through the coop window, and stopped dead in my tracks.

One of the girls was getting ready to lay (they've only been laying 2 wks now), so I watched. She and Bernadette, my dominant hen were in the coop alone. The hen finished her laying "song and dance" and went into the nest box, scratched, turned, fluffed, head down, bottom up, vent pulsing. Her beak was open and she "purred" while trying to prepare the perfect spot.

While I watched, Bernadette watched too. When the hen had everything just right, Bernatte spread her wing over the hen while my other girls all came in and gathered around, quietly "clucking".

The actual egg laying was blocked from my view (by Bernadette), but when the egg was layed, each one "admired" the fruit of her labor before going back to the run.

I'm new to chickens and was prepared for the dominance and "pecking order", but never thought I would witness such care, concern and kindness.

Is there a Chicken Sisterhood?

 

[crtrlovr]

That is just TOO precious! That's one of life's sweet moments to savor...

 

[77horses]

aww that's cute!

Yes, I have heard of chickens having feelings for each other, if that's what you are asking.

What a great story! Thanks for sharing it with us!

 

[newchickenfamily]

WOW! That is amazing!?! That was really something special to witness!!

 

[chick_newbie]

AAAWWW what a great story. Wish that I could see my little hens laying. Kennedy is always the first one out of the coop when I am going to bring them treats though. Funny thing today was that she was out of the run and just roaming around the yard waiting to get the treats of the day first. Silly little chicken.

 

[77horses]

I have also seen one of our hens, Apricot, who has passed away now,

lay an egg! She was acting funny when we went out to check them in the early morning, and she was in the box. She was leaning down, and we watch quietly, then we heard a little "THUMP!" on the box bottom. She got out and we looked in, and saw a medium sized egg, a brown color.

We ran into the house, and we brought the egg and were like, "DAD!!! DAD!!! LOOK! APRICOT LAID AN EGG!!!!!" LOL it was a great day. We were lucky to see our hen lay her first egg!

 

[CityChook]

This is a lovely story. I hope someday I could be so lucky to witness something like this in my own coop! Congrats!

 

[pixiechic]

Awww! That is so sweet!

My girls started laying just last week and I haven't seen them lay yet. I happened to be out there Sunday morning when Liberty, one of the Araucanas, started her laying clucky-song and I was fascinated to see some of the other girls come running in and gather around her. It really did look like a show of support. Liberty took her sweet time so I didn't get to see her lay, but sure enough, there was a little green egg in the nest later.