This is the broody hen number 2. She is likely Polish and Ameraucana, but one of those would have been the bantam version, meaning downsized chicken. She has the tufts of the Polish breed and lays white eggs. Perhaps she is part Houdan, another crested chicken. Her vision is slightly impaired by her feathers on top of her head, but she manages. Her young ones look very much like her. It appears as though the golden and black hen was the offspring of the Japanese bantam rooster. The others are most likely the result of the mating with the Ameraucana/Polish bantam rooster. This hen's genes are strong though, since each baby has a tufted head and a similar feather pattern to her. The two mostly black chicks are roosters and the the gold and black and black and white are hens. The mother is quite friendly and likes to be around people, but she is not tame. Her babies have similar dispositions, yet are a little more wary of humans. They are comfortable with the dogs and cats and often eat their meat while they are resting nearby. The dogs have been reprimanded for chasing the chickens off, since they are very large dogs in comparison and they do let the chickens eat their meat for the most part.
The hen and chicks roost in the trees for the night. They have been caught and locked in the coop for 5 days, hoping they would call it home for the nights so they are protected from the elements, yet they prefer the tree. The next time they are caught, they will have to live in a cage in the coop for some time, with the other broodies 10 babies that are a month older. There are several roosters in that brood too, and I am hoping they all get along. People have remarked on these chickens and asked to buy some. They are superior foragers and very good at looking after themselves. They do not eat much grain, but prefer the bugs and greens they find, yet the hen lays an egg a day. The problem is finding the nest. One was in the barn, one was in the bush, one was under the Juniper tree and another under the wood pile. Where she is laying now, I have yet to discover. Thank you for your gift of amazing babies, mother chicken. I am grateful.
The hen and chicks roost in the trees for the night. They have been caught and locked in the coop for 5 days, hoping they would call it home for the nights so they are protected from the elements, yet they prefer the tree. The next time they are caught, they will have to live in a cage in the coop for some time, with the other broodies 10 babies that are a month older. There are several roosters in that brood too, and I am hoping they all get along. People have remarked on these chickens and asked to buy some. They are superior foragers and very good at looking after themselves. They do not eat much grain, but prefer the bugs and greens they find, yet the hen lays an egg a day. The problem is finding the nest. One was in the barn, one was in the bush, one was under the Juniper tree and another under the wood pile. Where she is laying now, I have yet to discover. Thank you for your gift of amazing babies, mother chicken. I am grateful.
a group of Polish chickens , not mine
Ameraucana rooster, not mine
My bantam rooster
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