after my own heart...

If Knit was worrying about having a permanent place here at From the Country Farm she's secured it tonight. For about a week now, a couple of Queens babies have been camped out under Knit's wing at night or at least beside her in the nesting box. I think there's more room, as they are getting really big! Knit didn't seem to mind, when they started following her around the barnyard she took care of them in addition to her 'own' brood. Tonight we integrated the whole flock, the replacement layers had been in the coop segregated from the 'big girls' and the mother hens but in such a way as to be able to see each other. Talk about mayhem when we removed the barriers! The non mothers were running around as if they were saying "Get me outtta here! I am not responsible for all these kids!" The newbies were trying out their wings with new found freedom and more room! Once it settled down and the replacements felt safe they came out and checked things out. They can get back into the area they were in but the 'big girls' cannot get to them so they can venture out and join the rest of the flock. Well, with all the commotion Knit called her brood up to the nesting box and settled down, two of Queen's babies decided to join them and I was curious to see what would happen if I put a replacement layer in the mix. I should have known what would happen and am delighted to say she looked at the replacement hen for a minute and 'adopted' her. No pecking, hissing, or anything, she was very content to let the newbie sit under her and the newbie seemed to like it as well! She's the white leghorn you see at the front of the box. So tonight Knit was being the adoptive mom I want to be by having 6 of her own babies, 1 or 2 of Queen's babies and the replacement layer under her wing. Like I said before...

".....when the desire to be a mother is that strong it does not matter whether they are your blood or not, you just go with what feels right and you love them like you would your own child."