They arrived with their minder the Cream Legbar - now known as Denis and they soon settled in running with the bigger birds after less than a week. They have found their place and despite their smaller size they compete for food and attention alongside even the biggest of our Bluebells.
Now we have a variety of different types of hens it is noticeable that some are more prone to being broody than others and the bantams have demonstrated that they are frequent wannabe mothers. The hen with the really mottled plumage, nicknamed 'Carpet' has been broody several times since they joined us. On the last occasion she got it so bad that we were unable to 'break' her, whatever we tried failed, even frequent cuddles and plenty of attention were unsuccessful.
There was only one thing left to do and that was to approach a neighbour who also keeps bantams, (with a cockerel) for some fertile eggs. Although there were none in their coup, she did let us have 7 which she found in the in the flower border. Although a little uncertain as to whether they would still be viable we were very grateful for the opportunity to put our very broody hen a peace.
She was in heaven!!!
We gave her the run of the outside coup and pen where she could stretch her wings a couple of times a day and run around making broody clucks, but it was quite apparent that her focus for the next 21 days was to the 7 eggs that she smothered with her small but adequate feathery frame. Now it was for us to count down the days, marked on the calendar we waited for any sign of change. With unsuccessful attempts of candling - shinning a light under the egg to detect development - we waited patiently...
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