We know broody hens. How about a nanny hen?

[SBFChickenGirl]

Following this thread! Loving the stories!

 

[ValerieJ]

I love Su Su!! I wish one of my hens would be like that with my new little ones. They are successfully moved to the coop, in an area of their own, and made it through the night just fine. It got down to 81 where I have the thermometer, but when I opened the door 4 of them fell out of the coop! There is a little board there to hold the shavings in, and they were standing on it. It must have been warmer. I'll put a perch in that spot for them. It was easy to catch them, because they were just sitting there stunned.

 

[azygous]

Bonding with high test adhesive.

 

[ValerieJ]

My chicks are thriving out in their coop space. They love being able to run around in such a large area. Well, large to them. And get this, I could only get it up to 84 in the place where they sleep. After all these years of making sure they were at 98 for week one and 88 for week two, here they are, the happiest chicks of all.

But, no one except one young cockerel has paid any attention to them at all. So, no nanny hen here.

 

[ValerieJ]

Bonding with high test adhesive. View attachment 2306859

I love that photo!!! No bonding issues there.

 

[azygous]

I just observed something truly amazing. I always assumed chickens were linear thinkers. They want to go from point A to point B and they generally try to go there in a straight line. If they want something, they go straight at it to get it.

But what I just saw Su-su do indicates chickens are capable of manipulation or trickery, doing something to indirectly achieve an objective.

The chicks are six weeks old now, and it's time for them to learn about navigating the pop holes to the outside of the run to start to explore the world beyond the run. However, Su-su is lame, and she knows she's vulnerable outside of the run. She won't leave cover and safety. So imagine her dilemma when her chicks are outside and she can't be with them to protect them.

It's fine with the chicks because they are babies and are excited to explore. They return often to Su-su, but Su-su is a basket case when she can't be with them. This is what I saw Su-su do to get the chicks to come back inside the run. She went up to the chick water bottle, grabbed the hanger in her beak, making her "come here" vocal, and gave it a mighty shaking, spilling water, forming a puddle underneath, which soaked the sand. This makes a cool, damp dirt bathing spot that the chicks simply can't resist.

The chicks came running as Su-su expected they would, and everyone was reunited, and Su-su was in control of her chicks again.

 

[ValerieJ]

I just observed something truly amazing. I always assumed chickens were linear thinkers. They want to go from point A to point B and they generally try to go there in a straight line. If they want something, they go straight at it to get it.

But what I just saw Su-su do indicates chickens are capable of manipulation or trickery, doing something to indirectly achieve an objective.

The chicks are six weeks old now, and it's time for them to learn about navigating the pop holes to the outside of the run to start to explore the world beyond the run. However, Su-su is lame, and she knows she's vulnerable outside of the run. She won't leave cover and safety. So imagine her dilemma when her chicks are outside and she can't be with them to protect them.

It's fine with the chicks because they are babies and are excited to explore. They return often to Su-su, but Su-su is a basket case when she can't be with them. This is what I saw Su-su do to get the chicks to come back inside the run. She went up to the chick water bottle, grabbed the hanger in her beak, making her "come here" vocal, and gave it a mighty shaking, spilling water, forming a puddle underneath, which soaked the sand. This makes a cool, damp dirt bathing spot that the chicks simply can't resist.

The chicks came running as Su-su expected they would, and everyone was reunited, and Su-su was in control of her chicks again.View attachment 2317817

That's so adorable!!!!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I have a ten-year old GLW named Su-su. A few years back she went partially broody while I was raising chicks, and she adopted them when they were six weeks old. She raised them and cared for them until they were four months old. Now she's decided to adopt my four newest Blue Australorpe pullets.

She's very gentle with them and she permits them to climb on her and snuggle with her. This is only during the day since the chicks have their heating pad, and Su-su spends her nights in the coop with her friends.

I give her meal worms or other things to eat, and she shares most of it with the chicks.

I discovered Su-su's talent for being a nanny when I decided to stick her in with the chicks due to her being harassed for being lame. Su-su is able to stick up for herself, but due to her lameness, it exhausts her. So she gets to relax in a safe place, and the chicks have a nanny hen.View attachment 2294548

I love her, she is awesome! What a sweetheart!

 

[Tonyroo]

You definitely have a special hen.

 

[azygous]

The really special thing about Su-su is that she's the only Wyandotte I've ever had that liked me.