We know broody hens. How about a nanny hen?

[ValerieJ]

Sorry to hear about Slo-Mo.

 

[aart]

Su-su's former brooder mate and the same age as she is just died.

So Sorry
Did she have the swollen legs that Su-su did?

 

[azygous]

No, Morgan never had gone lame. She was just lazy. Very, very, very lazy. Morgan perfected laziness. But if food suddenly appeared, she could move like a speed demon. She died of old age at ten and a half years. She never, ever exhibited any health issues in her long life.

And Su-su, while lame, has never had swollen legs or feet.

 

[aart]

And Su-su, while lame, has never had swollen legs or feet.

Ah, I misremembered, apologies.... or maybe just thought it was inevitable with the presumptive MS.

 

[azygous]

@aart The absence of swelling and also absence of respiratory symptoms have made me very reluctant to consider Mycoplasma synoviae as the cause of these cases of lameness. But there does appear to be something bacterialogical at work as the pullets both have seemed to respond positively to antibiotics.

 

[Perris]

She died of old age at ten and a half years.

that's a good age. So Su-Su is enjoying such a long life too, notwithstanding her lameness. It's a tribute to your care Azygous.

 

[Lovem all]

That reminds me of my hen Nana (The 5 year old named before we even knew she was a nanny) A few week old chick escaped it's pen and got out with the big girls, she protected the baby all night and saved her from the other girls, she didn't even want to leave her behind.

While I'm not surprised I'm still getting hearts and thumbs up about this message it makes me feel like I should confess to all of Nana's supporters. She is very sick and can't be helped. Isn't this just great (I'm using sarcasm to supress my emotions if you can't tell). I love her a lot and she is amzing, and I do owe her my babies life. But I owe it to her to help her. (if you would like to know more to can look at my post called to cull or not to cull) Anyways thank you for the love and support. I'm sorry to give you all such bad news.

 

[ChloeSilkie08]

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

You have the exact setup that I want for baby chicks. Lol

 

[Waves]

This isn't really related to this thread, but I feel some acknowledgement is in order. Su-su's former brooder mate and the same age as she is just died. Morgan was a Black Cochin and her nick name was "Slo-Mo". She has been declining for a few weeks, becoming even more "slo-mo". The past two mornings she had firmly planted herself in a corner in the coop, beak to the wall,View attachment 2456339 showing no interest in anything.

I knew she was about to check out so I returned her to the run to be with the others. She died in the middle of her crowd of old biddies, but no one seemed to notice she was dead, probably because she never moved much when she was alive.
[/QUOTE]


@azygous I am really, really sorry for your loss.
She had a long and beautiful life, i'd like to be as good as you in keeping chickens.

 

[azygous]

Su-su is still glued to these pullets, especially May the sick one. About the only progress Su-su is making toward becoming un-broody is that when I hand out treats, she is now eating every third raisin or meal worm instead of giving it to the pullets.

The pullets will be six months old by this time next week, and by all indications, they are all ready to begin laying.