The loaners

Two hens are on loan to another family who needs some chicks.  They are sitting on eggs and will return when their chicks are grown enough to not need their moms, like Cream Puff did last year (with a boyfriend in tow).  Broody hen rental service.

The hens, one Silkie and one standard, got boxed and transported at night, installed in their brooding accommodations, and after a day to adjust, they have settled in extremely well.

I visited.  Their coop is elevated, so when you open the access door, you’re eye level with the chicken.  Hilarious!

I love this look.  Part baleful rage, part total serenity.  She’s fulfilling her destiny, but she will also take your finger off if you get ideas.  She’s not going to blink either.  She’s watching you.

You couldn’t pry her off those eggs now.  She’s in full pancake.

This one is SO happy to finally  have eggs. She’s been brooding around, squealing every time I lift the coop lid, because she knows I’m rudely going to take all the eggs out from under her that she’s been busy stealing and hoarding all morning.  I haven’t had a place to set her up to brood, or I might have given her an egg or two to keep.  I’m not trying to grow my flock this year.

Then this need for loaners arose, and fluke of flukes, I only had one Silkie broody (!).  So she lucked out. She gets to  keep eggs of her very own, and she is incredibly pleased about it.  Mine.  My precioussss.  She’s a very fiesty broody.

The Silkie mom is on the other side of the partition, and they’re set up in deluxe momming suites.

This girl is one of the white chocolates– all grown up!  My other one is already a mom – she went broody some time ago and is running around with three little ones.