JOY IN CHICKIE VILLAGE
HERE IS A TALE OF HOPE PERSEVERANCE AND DETERMINATION
One of my darling chickens, Miss Daisy, has gone very broody every spring for the last three years now, sitting on her eggs the other girl's eggs even no eggs. Yes, she has been sitting on an empty nest determined that little chickie babies will magically appear. I have on many occasions over the years taken her aside and had girl to girl, heart to heart discussions with her regarding the birds and the bees, the practicalities of reproduction. She would sit quietly listening to me, humoring me, and after I had gone with a quick look around to make sure I was not in the vicinity she would dash back upstairs and onto the nest and sit. One year she became very ill and on death's door, I rushed her to the nearest Avian Hospital who diagnosed her as being jaundiced, Four days in hospital at $170 brought her back into the land of the living. Home for a weeks R&R in my bath tub with morning walks in the front garden nibbling on fresh grass saw her become herself again. She didn't even mind the string I tied around one leg in case she got it into her head to fly over the fence. In fact it was a time of bonding for the two of us. I am sure I heard her think how crazy these humans are, they take off their clothes, get all wet, dry off and then put clothes on again when for her a jolly good dust bath does the trick. My heart went out to her but I was reluctant to purchase fertilized eggs for her as I envisioned a nest full of roosters. Not that I don't like roosters, in fact I do like roosters very much. They are an asset in Chicken Society, they look after the girls and of course fertilize their eggs making sure of the continuance of the species and guard against predators not to mention looking extremely handsome strutting around doing their stuff. But they do like to wake up their household at the crack of dawn as I am sure they feel that is the best time to go out and scratch for worms and of course there is nothing quite like a relaxing dust bath in the glorious early morning sunshine . 
One of my dear friends, Jeanette, has a cousin who runs a free range chicken farm with lots of roosters and fertile eggs aplenty offered to gift Miss Daisy fertile eggs with the promise that if any rooster hatched her cousin would be quite happy to let them live out their lives back on the farm. I wish I had taken a photo of the look on Miss Daisy's face when I placed five rounded eggs underneath her on her carefully prepared nest. Another dear friend Alice had advised that rounded eggs were girls and pointy eggs were boys so we took her advice, It has been my experience that a lot of folk law should not be so readily dismissed.The look of pleasure and expectation on Miss Daisy's face was beautiful. She faithfully took great care of her eggs turning them and making sure they were all covered only popping out briefly for breakfast of bread soaked in warm water sprinkled with raisins chopped tomato and salad mix, a quick dust bath and drink and back upstairs she went content to sit and wait. Now there was a bit of a dilemma, Bossy Betty, the white chicken in the first photo is just that, the boss of Chickie Village and I could not bear the thought of her pecking the little ones. What to do?, We decided to purchase a prefabricated small pet house to use as a nursery. Hubby and I dug out 30 centimeters of soil and lined it with a double layer of chicken wire and then refilled it with the soil so the little ones could learn to scratch in safety. We then wired it up around the bottom of the enclosure to ensure no predators would gain entrance. 20 days later at morning breakfast call I found a little yellow head with big eyes popping out from under her feathers viewing me , next popped out another yellow head and a then a black one. Miss Daisy sat there looking at me with the smuggest look on her face which said I told you so. Two of the eggs as yet have failed to hatch, we will wait another few days and if they don't hatch never mind , Miss Daisy has fulfilled her dream and is now a very happy chicken mother . I have included a short video at the bottom of the page. Turn the volume up click on full screen and enjoy Miss Daisy's happiness.
Video "Joy at Chicken Village"
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