This sudden serge in cold, frosty temperatures has taken certain individuals at Chicken Corner by surprise.. and by that I mean the new(-ish)-born chicks inhabiting ‘The Shed’, as well as those stationed at various locations around the farm. Their mothers desperately try to increase surface area to accommodate, what must seem like, FOREVER-growing offspring. If pragmatism and equality-for-all prevailed perhaps, a head of each could fit, but usually one ‘cookoo-style’ chick – essentially, an opportunist by nature – manages to bag ‘best seat in the house’, fully incubated under its mother’s warm body whilst its siblings assume an instinctive ‘Emperor Penguin’ huddle amongst themselves.
Observing several families develop over the past couple of months has been very insightful indeed, as each mother appeared to adopt unique approaches to parenthood. It was amazing to witness the Buff Orpington, now down to 4 chicks (after one sadly drowned in the duck pond) and the Light Sussex with 3 chicks, actually join troops like members of a 1960s commune. This surprised me for two reasons: 1.) In the past Chicken Corner has seen a number of hens share parental responsibilities because they went broody together and shared the same nest of eggs. However, these two hens had different nests with exactly 65 yards distance between them. 2.) In the early stages, when their chicks were a few weeks old, you should have seen the hens’ vexation towards one another! Natural precautionary measures to ensure their own chicks’ survival I suppose. So, I must reiterate my fascination, not only with their recent behavioural transformation, but additionally their blossoming familial relationships.
A breakdown of their quotidian routine is as such - they begin at breakfast, sharing chick crumbs and layers pellets under an expansive Norfolk sunrise. From here, they often take a leisurely stroll around the back garden with oodles of rose bushes and archways to captivate the eye, (and I didn’t want to break the romantic illusion, but also a 3x2 metre trampoline, without its protective cover as that blew off sometime ago in a rough storm).. If I’m honest, there is no other part to their daily ritual and the ‘leisurely stroll’ essentially lasts all day until about 2pm when its dinner time and all Chicken Corner members come together in rather spectacular fashion.
But during the day, when these unlikely families partner up, I like to think that while the ‘kids’ play (scrabbling around looking for worms or chasing flies), the mums chat away about the one thing their whole lives revolve around, and in fact their innate purpose for being, their chicks. For it is only natural that a mother’s instinct is to protect and care for her offspring – and this is replicated throughout the animal kingdom, and if I might add, perfectly captured in ‘Dynasties’ (6 part series narrated by David Attenborough on BBC One). It puts into perspective just how incredibly important a ‘Mother’ is in Nature’s hierarchy of things.
This week however, (and please don’t cry, its only Nature’s way) the Light Sussex left her 3 offspring to fend for themselves as she went back to the orchard to join the ‘retirement home’ enclosure within the realms of Chicken Corner. She, herself, is not of retirement age, but the old girls with whom she shares, are, and although I am placing human emotion on a natural form, I could not bear to part with them and hence they will remain here until death do us part.
It is this hen’s three chicks (2 males & 1 female) that I caught yesterday evening to place in the (ever-so-slightly) warmer Shed.. two of which I caught in one but the last I had to stalk in the dark for 20 minutes before she decided to reside in a tree and I made this my moment to strike. Success!
They have joined the likes of Gigi, the gold partridge hen, with her 12 pom-pom chicks and my beautiful red pekin with her 5 black not-so-little babies including a lavender #throwback pullet (a new favourite I have to say). Finally, last but certainly not least, a very young mother with her 8 1 week-old chicks. I know I know, these hens need to control their hormones!.. but in my humble opinion, a new mother hen is one of the most beautiful things to see.
So on this inspiring note I shall leave you and from all new-life at Chicken Corner, we wish you a very Merry Christmas indeed!
Nice chatting, chicks! x
Written: 11th December 2018
