This morning in the barn I heard a chorus of peeping and it wasn't coming from the two chicks that hatched a couple weeks ago. I often check this site for eggs, so I am surprised this nest eluded us, but behind the box I had turned into a cozy cat den for Poet was a hen with newly hatched chicks.
It was too dark to see anything behind the box so I got my camera and took a couple of blind flash shots.
Squawk!! Flap!! Wham!!! Suddenly the hen attacked me, crashing into my face and scratching my cheek (glad I wear glasses!) and continued on her rampage chasing poor Cocoa the innocent bystander dog and several other hens in the vicinity. I have never had a hen act so aggressively protective so it caught me off guard. I guess she doesn't like paparazzi.
At least it gave me chance to shoot a photo of her clutch while she was off the nest attacking everybody. Looks like she has a dozen or so chicks. She is going to be one busy mom.
9 comments:
Wow, busy mama indeed! What a great photo. Happy to hear you came through your ordeal relatively unscathed! :)
How cute!
Must have been a shock to have the hen come at your face. What a protective mum! Those chicks are adorable.
Oh my goodness!! You awoke the momma bear-hen! :-)
What an odd reaction from the hen. I wonder did the flash from the camera scare her? Glad you came away with only a scratch. What a crazy thing to happen. The peeps are cute! There are a whole bunch!!
@ 3Beeze Homestead
I bet you are right about the flash Snooks. My well-documented chickens are used to being photographed but not usually with a flash. Plus maybe hatching out a dozen eggs is already driving her nuts.
Look at all the cute little chickies!! I am thinking you may not need any from me this year, Susan! Are those little Welsummers with their eyeliner and chipmunk stripes? Love them!
By the way, I count at LEAST 14! LOL!
You certainly know your chicks! They are mutts, but the dad of many is most likely Knickerbocker, the Welsummer, or maybe one of his sons. You also count better than I do -- she has 14 surviving, not counting 3 that got separated from the herd and did not make it.
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