Sunday, April 15, 2012

Don't Mess With Big Bird - Stubborn Border Hen

Normally when I have a simple floor fight, the hen accepts the nest if it is placed on the floor in the very spot she has chosen. This Border hen just would not go for it and would move around the cage avoiding any real nest even placed on the floor! I have never had a hen this stubborn!    So I decided if I was to win this Nesting Game, I would need to completely load the bottom of her cage with items to obstruct her nestling in the corn cob bedding.
I quickly filled the edges of her cage with upside down lids,  dishes, nests, bottoms of outside baths, empty brewer's yeast can and even one of my prized scrappers. Once an hour, I checked to see if she was sitting on her eggs and replaced her as needed. When I found her on the floor again, I added more stuff! Pat, my husband checked her every hour while I was gone working second shift at the hospital and he is sure he fixed her as after his watch, she has remained contently on the nest now for two days, even tolerating my photo shots this morning. For a reward, she gets a full dish of hulled hemp!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Linda,

You really must like this bird or have alot of patience.

Linda Hogan said...

I do have lots of patience probably from years of teaching at the University! It also helps on the blog but years in the classroom, I just could not stand no response which makes this blog hard for me. I could handle the difficult students but not the passive with especially those with no brain activity. I would get pretty dramatic trying to engage them. If you want me to post more, I must hear from you.

I also like challenges and was not going to let this young lady out smart me.. She is sitting nicely every since my husband took the 2nd shift. He does not like the birds and refers to our marriage time as BC and AC. Anyone know what those initials stand for?

Anonymous said...

Before Canaries and After Canaries? My Husband puts up with my "Canary Passion", also.

Linda Hogan said...

You got it!!! Before Canaries and After Canaries!!

Rich said...

Hi Linda. I have a Yorkie hen that is exactly like your Border hen, she is difficult to get the right conditions for her to nest, she has to have it in exactly the space she wants it. For some reason my Yorkie hens like to nest down very low in the cage so I constantly move the nests around until I find the spot they like, they do make it a little easier by starting a nest of the grate of the floor in the position they seem to perfer. Rich