More Chicks
In June, Big Gwen, started
to get broody again. She started to sit on a couple of eggs, however a few days later she was joined by
Jeff, in the next nesting box. It was
funny to watch them because if one got up to get food, or water, the other
hen would use her beak to roll over an egg, or two, from the other nesting
box to their own. After about five days we marked eleven eggs and took away any after
that.
The hatching of the chicks
took place over a period of five days. Eventually, three black and
two yellow chicks emerged. They seem to accept Jeff as the mother and Gwen
as an "Aunt". Both "mothers" fussed over them and Jeff got quite protective in the early days, where
she was prepared to peck at anyone who got close, unlike Gwen, who was more laid back. However, Jeff has relaxed more and accepts people getting
close to the chicks.
