When I lift Smoke out of the nest box she will stay in position on the patio for a while so I am now putting her straight into the run. When I do this she holds up her wings and tail and makes herself look as big as possible.
Broody Smoke
She does look hilarious! Unfortunately she does attract pecks from Dandelion and the silky girls. On the other hand though she chases away the rest of the amigos. I think it’s those angry, broody, hormones.
I am pleased to see that when I have taken her out she has plenty of water, some spinach and some pellets. It’s good to see her eating and drinking while out of the nest box.
I am guessing we are in for three weeks of this. I am used to having shut broody girls out of the nest box in the past but that’s no longer possible. Oh well, what will be, will be!
Click here to see the history of my flock.
If she is anything like Vi then it will be a lot longer than 3 weeks even though I closed the nest boxes off!! :-0 xx
To my surprise I have just been up to the run and Smoke is still out. She is still chuff chuffing and raising her wings if another girl approaches her but I am pleased she has stayed out for now. Maybe removing her every time I go up will be enough. Only time will tell.
Oh my, she can make herself look big.
She is crazy! She settled back in the nest box this afternoon and once again I had to lift her from there and perch her in the chicken shed at bedtime. She was on the perch with her tail still up. I think this will go on for a while.
Crikey she really looks like she means business!
She does look amazing because this is her when I just put her down in the run and wanted to snap a photo straight away but then she stands up and walks around like this which looks so funny. But then Dandelion and the silky girls peck her and she moves away gradually letting her wings back down again. Then she runs at any of the amigos near by. Then if any girl come near her she raises her wings again. Hormones have so much effect on these girls.
Fascinating behaviour to observe.
She reminds me of birds that do this as a mating ritual to show off. This was yesterday and yet today she hasn’t entered the nest box at all. Seeing her behaviour yesterday I am amazed that today she has just snapped out of it. If only it was always that easy.
Oh, she’s so funny! Penny (a cochin/sussex “mutt”) does that too when she’s broody, but it normally happens when I pluck her out of the coop for some sunshine and fresh air. (she isn’t impressed.) Smoke kinda looks like her too, but Penny is bigger (yes, bigger than how Smoke looks in this!) and has brown lacing on her chest (and white specks)
The funniest broody “show” I’ve seen came from Princess Peach, a buff cochin. She was a very angry broody, and when she came outside the rooster shuffled towards her. She gave him the evil eye, growled/screamed and puffed up with wings out. The rooster then decided that it was probably wise not to anger one of his ladies by mating, and kept his distance for the rest of the day (and most likely longer). It was so funny to watch the rooster get scared of this sweet little orange hen…well, she’s sweet when she isn’t broody. 🙂
It is amazing to see them like this. I can just imagine a rooster backing off from this vision. I have no roosters but can well imagine that happening. They certainly look scary when they puff up like this and you can feel all that pent up anger coming from them.