July 21, 2022

Poultry Squabbles: The Ongoing Saga

Earlier this month, I told you about the feud between Mrs. Broody Chicken and Mrs. Broody Duck (Poultry Squabbles). Well Mrs. Broody Duck (aka "Sister") has continued to have it in for Mrs. Chicken. She chases her around the chicken yard when they go out for a stretch, and tries to block her from going back into the hen house!

Sister. She shares the nest with Mom Duck, who was out at the moment.

On Monday, I was canning cucumber relish, when Dan came into the kitchen and said, "Two of the chicks have hatched, but Sister won't let Mrs. Chicken back into the coop." I went out to see too, and sure enough, two little peepsters were peeping from the nest, and Mama Hen was nowhere to be seen.

The entire poultry yard was in an uproar, but where was Mama Hen?  Since we have four Speckled Sussex, they all look alike and we can't tell them apart! Fortunately, the day was in the low 90sF (low 30sC), so we didn't have to worry about the chicks getting chilled. But we were concerned that she might abandon the nest. If she didn't return by evening, we'd have to put the chicks under the brooder lamp and raise them ourselves. That was not the desirable outcome.

That evening, when I went out to fill hay feeders for overnight, Dan said there was a chicken under the nest boxes, which are next to Mama Hen's dog carrier. He said she'd been there all afternoon, so we reckoned this one was Mama Hen. If she'd just been in there to lay an egg, she would have left as soon as the job was done. 

After everyone was in for the night, I carefully moved her to the dog crate. The chicks started peeping and she settled down on top of them. What a relief.

Mrs, Chicken, now Mama Hen.

Dan gave her six or seven eggs, and so far, three have hatched.


Can you see the second one?

It will be a couple of days before we know the final count. When the eggs start hatching, the broody hen usually stays on the nest for several more days. This is because she lays them over a period of days, so they hatch on different days. We gave her the eggs all at once (as long as they haven't been refrigerated, they remain viable for chicks), but by instinct, she'll stay on the nest for a couple of days. That's good because it gives us time to figure out how to keep her and the chicks safe. Too many squabbles in the poultry yard for that!

16 comments:

Mama Pea said...

Isn't it interesting (and hair-pulling for us humans!) the shenanigans the birds create!? We've had two mama ducks and one chicken share a single clutch of eggs until they hatched! (If I remember correctly, the chicken was a Speckled Sussex, too.) Not that I want your 90° weather (!), but how fortunate the baby chicks were okay for the time without their mama to be with them. And that the Muscovy didn't bother them. Great pics!

Tewshooz said...

Be forewarned: That duck will kill those chicks. Ask me how I know.

Ed said...

Just last night I used the term "soap opera" to describe an ongoing situation and then had to explain to my oldest daughter what that phrase meant. I should have just pointed her to your blog and the difficulties of ducks and chickens sharing the same place.

Ed said...

As the Nest Turns, The Feathered and The Stubborn, One Egg to Hatch, All My Chicks... etc.

Leigh said...

Mama Pea, interesting! And what a contrast to Tewshooz's experience.

Tewshooz, Mama Hen and her chicks are in the process of being moved to their own spot. We don't trust the ducks or the other chickens (of which we once had a rooster that killed chicks).

Ed, the most frustrating part is that this wasn't the arrangement we preferred, but the birds insisted!

I hadn't thought about today's kids not knowing what a soap opera is. Are they still around? It's a good figure of speech to know, though, since I think it's still in use (at least with us older folks!)

Leigh said...

P.S. Great soap opera titles for the barnyard!

Rosalea said...

Love your "Tales from the Coop"! Hoping things settle down and it all works out for the best.

Sandi said...

Even chickens have wars?

Leigh said...

Rosalea, never a dull moment. :)

Sandi, apparently!

tpals said...

To think we avoid the news because of the drama and it's happening in our own backyards.

Michelle said...

Can't say as I blame the ducks after the chickens pecked out one of their eyes!

Leigh said...

Tpals, so true. Real life is so much more interesting.

Michelle, I just wish they'd consented to their own space!

DVArtist said...

OMGosh! Never ending saga with them.

Chris said...

I'm glad Mama hen wasn't put off permanently, and you were able to relocate her new family. I hope more hatch.

Retired Knitter said...

Aww ... poor mama hen! Now I am not a farmer or a live stock keeper but at this point I would lay down the law. (hahaha!) Separate spaces for separate creatures and make it impossible for them to co-mingle. There has to be a way. After all who is in charge here!!

Those baby chics must be protected. Too cute. Are you keeping all of them?

Leigh said...

Nicole, having critters is endlessly entertaining. :)

Chris, me too! Final count was three. I'll have an updates on all our poultry next month.

RT, who's in charge, indeed! (Apparently, it isn't us. :) We now have them somewhat separated and everybody seems happy. Updates next month!