Giggsy and Coco

Giggsy on the left is now 5 years old. Coco, the cockerel, is just 13 weeks. Darcy, the mum of our new brood died just 2 weeks ago - at this time she had already taught the chicks everything they needed to know and had stopped finding food for them etc and they were by then fending for themselves very nicely. This was very fortunate as she is now no longer with us - very sad. However, it is very noticeable that when I go out to them with odd titbits or bread or whatever Giggsy, who was Darcy's sister, always looks out for her little neices and nephew and takes food from me to give to them.(Although they are more than capable of taking it from me themselves and they do!) It is so sweet however, that she is so caring towards them.

A big shame though that when she sat on a clutch of eggs last year, she rejected the newly hatched chicks and they died. We don't know whether it was because her mother tried to take over the eggs just before they were due or whether there was something wrong with the chicks and she was aware of this!

Nature is strange but clever too!