Well done Paprika!

[Perris]

I want to give a shout out to my young hen Paprika, who happened to go broody just when I thought my favorite hen (Venka) was lost forever, and so I gave P a clutch of V's eggs, although P was just a pullet. She sat them diligently and on 1st July hatched 7/8, the day after her own first birthday.

She has been a fantastic broody, taught them all how to forage and free-range and negotiate the rest of the flock, and managed to get all 7 to independence.

Today she has returned to the flock, after four days of transition, spending the days with them and then, when they were all tucked up in the nest boxes, slipping out that coop to spend the nights with the grown ups. The separation seems to have been achieved with no aggression; she just drifted away, and they are confident enough to not worry about it. She must be a broody in a hundred; certainly the best I've ever had.

 

[JedJackson]

I love the spiky hairdos on the chicks.

Some hens are just natural mothers, but it is unusual to have one do it so young.

 

[Perris]

Some hens are just natural mothers, but it is unusual to have one do it so young.

Indeed. I don't usually let them sit as pullets, but in this case I was grateful for the opportunity to preserve the missing hen's genes (including the spiky hairdos).

 

[JedJackson]

Indeed. I don't usually let them sit as pullets, but in this case I was grateful for the opportunity to preserve the missing hen's genes (including the spiky hairdos).

It worked out well, and that's the main thing.

 

[Callender Girl]

Congrats to Paprika on her mothering skills and to you on keeping Venka's genes going.

It's a beautiful family!

 

[Perris]

Congrats to Paprika on her mothering skills and to you on keeping Venka's genes going.

It's a beautiful family!

thank you! they are looking like 2 cockerels and 5 pullets, so we're lucky with that too