The Sullivan Six

[Callender Girl]

Limu is such a good mama!

 

[AinaWGSD]

Happy birthday girls! My pullets are officially hens!

I gave them some dried superworms to celebrate.

 

[Callender Girl]

Ah, your beautiful little girls are all grown up! Congratulations on their first birthday!

 

[AinaWGSD]

The babies have started coming to see [if I have any goodies] me when I go out to the run! It probably helps that Limu is second only to Artemis when it comes to getting underfoot and investigating for treats.

 

[Callender Girl]

How sweet! The only time I had a hen who hatched out chicks, those babies took their cue from their stand-offish mama and avoided me as much as possible. As adults, they still don't like me!

 

[AinaWGSD]

Now Marcille has gone broody No ma'am! I've only got room for one broody in this coop! It's broody jail for you.
Limu was none too happy with me for harassing Marcille either. She bit me! Like, bit and twisted bit me!

 

[Callender Girl]

That sounds very out of character for Limu, who is likely in protective-mama-mode. It's nice she wants to help out Marcille, but not at your expense!

Hope a bit of jail time breaks Marcille's broodiness. One of my Cochins gets absolutely hopeless every spring. Isabel is currently determined to hatch a pair of fake eggs in one of the coops and will fiercely defend them when another hen tries to use the nest box. I don't bother to imprison her -- as long as she still allows me to lift her out so she can eat, drink and stretch her legs. But, she does scream at me every time I move her.

 

[AinaWGSD]

Oh no. She's being persistent!

it's a shame I don't really have room for 2 broodies. I feel like the dynamics between Marcille and Limu would be fascinating to watch.

 

[Callender Girl]

There are few forces in nature as strong as a broody hen's determination to SIT on a nest! Marcille's face says she is daring you to try to make her stop!

 

[AinaWGSD]

There are few forces in nature as strong as a broody hen's determination to SIT on a nest! Marcille's face says she is daring you to try to make her stop!

She definitely is! Limu kept going broody, but she was never determined to sit even if it was just a 2x4!