Wild Hope Homestead

Broody mumma hen Helen Cluck and her chicks needed to be moved out of the Big Cage and into the pen with everyone else. The Little Fulla’s chicks, Sprinkles and Winkles, needed to be moved out of the brooder box and into the Big Cage. They had outstayed their welcome in the house. Also, the brooder box needed to be emptied and cleaned ready for hatchlings from the Batch #3 eggs. You wouldn’t think moving one mother hen and chicks out with the flock would be much different than another, but chickens can be so dramatic sometimes.

Whereas Morpheus, the Prime Henister, is feisty as a broody and just scares everyone away from her chicks and herself, Helen Cluck is much more mild and middle-of-the-road. It is the middle-ranked chickens that cause the most fuss because there are those on either side who attempt to move up or prevent themselves from going down the pecking order. The arrival of Helen Cluck with chicks in tow threw the chickens into a tiz. Jack of Spades tried to subdue her, until he realised she had babies.

Then the three blue girls, recently returned from the blue pen, started ganging up on Helen Cluck. I didn’t realise they’d formed a gang. Something’s gone to their heads. Oh, maybe it’s a lack of male leadership… Jack of Spades, who is one of the most ineffective managerial roosters we’ve had, stood there all like, “Hey guys… guys… maybe you could stop fighting please?” I had to step in and break up the fight myself.

Then Morpheus, affronted that Helen Cluck was trying to steal the limelight by also showing up with chicks, let rip her loud imitation crow; twice, because that was more dramatic. Trillium, headed in Helen Cluck’s direction with a wild look in her eye, suddenly puffed up and screeched at her like a dragon. Jack of Spades at least stood between them and flapped to try and prevent an outbreak of war.

Everyone eventually calmed down when it became clear that Helen Cluck just wanted to look after her chicks, not take over the world. That night I found Trillium in a nestbox, broody. Now she wants babies too. She is Jack of Spades’ favourite hen so I can’t say that this is not part of her plan to take over the world…