Being 'Clucky'

There are many characteristics animals display which we use as metaphors for human behaviour. Doves are noted for their peaceful nature, foxes are cunning and lions are proud. When we describe mothers who admire newborn babes, we often characterise that as being clucky. The connotations are that the mother desires to have her own child, that there is warmth and affection ... but there is much more to this metaphor!

Two of our hens, our black australorps, are clucky. They've become very possessive of any eggs, hoarding them into a pile and claiming them all for their own. Of course, sharing isn't allowed, so whoever gets up to stretch then has the other hen trying to rob more eggs. The hens don't want to be touched, and in the case of one named "Sunday", not even looked at without the hackles going up. Then we hear the warning 'cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck' should we or another hen come any closer, or actually charging toward you, pecking and making a ruckus. Very protective and aggressive motherly behaviour, don't you think?

Well, we decided to work carefully and isolate these desperate 'want-to-be-mums'. Little Foot had actually started getting clucky first, so we watched her for a while, then she was supplied with a lawn-mower catcher into which we placed a couple of freshly laid eggs on fresh straw. We kept Sunday out of the coop until Little Foot settled, which didn't take too long.

 Little Foot's hideaway in the A-frame chook mobile.
The lawn mower catcher made for an easy transfer, having a handle and everything self-contained for Little Foot.

That night, Little Foot was then relocated to the A-frame chook mobile DH had made last year. If she stays on the eggs, we'll know that she's definitely broody and will get some fertilised eggs. There is a risk she'll be upset about her new home and not sit any longer.

Meanwhile, Sunday was all indignant about her relocation that day. How dare we deprive her of eggs! How dare we deprive her of her nest! She strutted around loudly exclaiming the injustice of it all (and it was only for a couple of hours). Once Little Foot was removed, we left an egg in the laying area of the coop for Sunday to claim.

This is the most we can see of Little Foot with the door open,

keeping a careful eye on us.

The next morning, Sunday seemed content enough. By early afternoon our other 3 hens decided to lay on the floor of the coop instead of sharing the box with this feisty lady. Sunday wasn't silly, though. She then moved to sit on the larger pile of eggs on the floor. Okay, so we had to do something here, and with great care (and at dusk, so as to minimise her temper) we picked her up and put her back into the laying box. Maestro then blocked her in with pieces of cardboard so the other hens wouldn't disturb her.

Having a lidded laying box helps when taking a quick photo.

This is our feisty Sunday who is vocally and aggressively protective of her clutch.

Little Foot took so well to her new location, that after two days we went out and purchased 6 fertilised eggs from the same lady we'd been to last year. Today is now one full week on since she had them put under her, and she hasn't budged. We do have water and food in there for her, but she's sat everyday, through all the rain and thunderstorms, and through the heat. We only disturbed her once, at dusk, to take 2 of these fertilised eggs to put under Sunday.

So, hopefully we'll have new chicks again in just two more weeks. We bought 3 blue-australorps and 3 white sussex, and we were told that the hatching success rate was high. Let's see how these new mothers behave once they have their little broods.  Australorps are known to be wonderful mothers.  We'll still have to keep them separate for a while, though, as I've been told that hens can still squabble about who's chick is who's. It seems that being a clucky hen is about wanting to own a chick, ANY chick, so long as she's not robbed of the opportunity of being a mother hen.

edited Tuesday 30th Nov. : Sunday has decided she no longer wants to sit on the eggs we gave her. She's driving me to frustration!! Short story, Little Foot now has all six eggs and we'll see how she goes. At least she's very calm / well settled.