Cheez Whiz stole the chicks. Like, she literally, stole the chicks right out from under their mother, Josephine.
Recap. 2 months ago I got some fertilized eggs and put them under my chicken Josephine because Josephine wanted to be a mother more than anything. How did I know this? She told me so and also she started knitting baby blankets.
2 or 3 weeks after the chicks were born the normally ornery Cheez Whiz, decided those chicks should be hers. I don't know how long she had been planning her chicknapping but it all went down late one night when they were all going to bed. And yes. It was a chicknapping, not a kidnapping. Kidnapping is what happens when someone steals a baby goat.
Once chicks get to a certain age their mother will teach them how to roost. Roosting is when the chicken jumps up on a stick, branch or piece of wood to go to sleep. They do it because their natural instinct is to get up into a tree away from night predators like fox and weasels. Well, Josephine tried to teach these chicks to roost a little earlier than Cheez Whiz thought she should have. Cheez Whiz didn't think the chicks were ready to roost yet.
So when Josephine jumped up onto the roost and started calling the chicks to jump up on the roost with her, Cheez Whiz jumped OFF of the roost, plunked herself down in the straw and started calling the chicks to come to her. Non stop. She called and she called and she called and she spread he wings out so the chicks would have an inviting, safe bed to slump into complete with a feather blanket to wrap around them.
And one by one the little chicks all abandoned their mother who was calling them from high up on the scary roost, and went to Cheez Whiz.
I tried placing the chicks on the roost with their mother, but they just jumped back down and scrambled on top of Cheez Whiz. Her back seemed to be about as high as any of them cared to venture.
And that was it. The transition had begun. The chicks now had two mothers; Cheez Whiz and Josephine. The lesbihens.
In the weeks that followed one of them proved they were born to be a mother.
Gay, straight, adopted or biological. Family is family. Just ask a chicken.
Janelle
Lesbihens...made wine come out of my nose, for reals. And yet, I'd do it again, it was that funny. In fact, I think I will do it again, after even more win. It'll be even funnier then, if that's possible.
Kathy Houk
Knitting the baby blanket is what got me, just the idea of it made me laugh. My dog will stare at me so intensely to convey what shes's got going on (and not just at feeding time) and I try to guess right because if I do she's certainly happy. I am amazed at the thought that went into the chicknapping. What a surprise. Glad you were able to observe what was going on and then let us in on it.
Liz
I just love this snippets you give out of the chickens lives - thanks for the smile of the day!
Mindy
Oh my gosh, sweetest thing ever.
Elaine
LOVE Lesbihens!! ? I had trouble pulling up the video but tried again and am glad I did. To see the rust hen (Cheez Whiz) give the food to the chicks is absolutely amazing!! Thank you!
Jackie
I think Josephine's mad because all her chicks abandoned her for Cheez Whiz & that's why she steals their food. If she doesn't stay mad maybe both can mother & teach the chicks. Love the "lesbihens". Karen you have out done yourself with this post. Love it. Thanks for being you.
Allison
And now I want some chickens even more than I did before!
kari
That's so hilarious, and interesting, and hilarious!
Allison
Aunty Cheez is busy spoiling the chicks. She doesn't appear to want to give them back after spoiling them though!
Darla
It never fails to amaze me how your twisted brain can come up with all these comical situations and sayings!!
Susan Alexander
Karen, you and your crew of readers/followers are so punny, it is killin' me.
I read your post, then the comments, loved each of them, laughed, drank coffee then went back and read them all one more time ... and I am still laughing.
Where else would I find such an absolutely wonderful assortment of highly intelligent, witty individuals ... and I don't mean the chickens.
Dale
I think Karen and her wit/humor brings the same out of her readers. We all give it a try to add to the comedy. Hard to match wits with the Socrates of bloggers!!
Karen
Oh I don't know ... Heneral Hospital had me laugh out loud! ~ karen
Jennifer
Oh my goodness! This one is too funny, Karen! What a sweet story too.
Nancy Sanderson
I'm so glad chicknapping happens to other people too! This is our mixed race same sex couple busy co-parenting.
Andria
This.Is.Awesome.
Gretchen Sexton
HAHAHAHAH!!
Best morning story!!
Lesbihens--wins the prize!
So amazing that Josephine just had a lapse of memory...
Melissa in NC
The lesbihens...this can only come from you Karen. Too funny!!!
Nancy Blue Moon
This is so funny..and educational..I had no idea hens would do such a thing to each other..lol..
Mary W
Love this story! Now when the chicks are older, you will have to get her a couple eggs of her own. I had a calico cat that gave birth to 5 kittens. She was a horrible mother. The dogs let the kittens sleep with them since Mom wasn't doing it. Then our other stray (just fixed) got interested and started protecting the kittens. She gathered them together with her and they proceeded to nurse. Of course, she didn't have any milk but that didn't stop her from mothering them. Then she got milk! I was shocked but evidently the nursing caused her to begin lactation. Animals are very surprising and such a wonderful thing to have around and notice. Did you see the clicker training that worked on a rescue chicken that was on youtube by The Humane Society of United States? So smart these chickens! Please let Cheez Whiz have a couple eggs - wonder if she would raise a turkey?
Angie Simonsen
Brilliant post! I could swear it sounded like Cheez Whiz offered you a clucky Thank You at the end of that video!
Our girls didn't decide to get up onto their roosting bars until they were 8 weeks old, probably because they didn't have anyone to show them that they were supposed to do that.
Mary Michelle
Loved the video!!! You are the funniest and most interesting blogger in blogdom.
maggie van sickle
Bahaha not every one is born to be a mother not even in the chicken world. Good job Cheese Whiz.