Weird looking Hen?

[Lilion]

Hey folks! I hope someone can help me. I found one heck of a Hen tree, I think, but I've never seen them look like this. I did pick one that was obviously a hen, and left two that seemed old less than a week ago. Now there's these that have come up. I know they only came up this week...since last Thurs. I've just never seen them look so... lumpy and fused? They almost seem solid. The first one I picked was a bit like this, but not so thick. Is this a normal variation? the biggest one is about the size of a nerf football right now, the smaller the size of a softball, not very large at all.  Any chance that these are just young and will get bigger?  Our temps have been in the 30's at night.  Could that have something to do with this appearance?  I should mention they are very firm and moist-feeling, not dry at all.

[Dave W]

Strange-looking Hen. I think you should consider the possibility these may be Black Staining Polypore, Meripilus sumstinei. 

[Lilion]

8 hours ago, Dave W said:

Strange-looking Hen. I think you should consider the possibility these may be Black Staining Polypore, Meripilus sumstinei. 

I'd considered that but thought they might have larger petals.  Here are some other photos, including the one I picked earlier and the old dried one I left.

[Dave W]

These really look like Hen (Grifola frondosa). Was there a spell of very dry weather out your way? These look like they may have been stunted by dryness. Hens start out as softball-to-soccer ball sized masses and then spread out into fronds as they mature. I think these may have failed to spread out. 

[Lily]

I think it is hen of the woods. They are deformed by the growth condition. 

[Lilion]

1 hour ago, Dave W said:

Hens start out as softball-to-soccer ball sized masses and then spread out into fronds as they mature.

 Oh thank you!  I didn't know that!  I've googled my heart out but there are just no pictures of immature Hens, no matter which name I use to look for them (Grifola frondosa, Maitake, Sheeps head).  We haven't had any substantial rain for well over a week, not since these came up for sure.  It was 27 degrees last night and it's supposed to be 21 tonight - I don't think I should wait anymore to pick them.  Guess I'll leave the neighbors a note (they're in a neighbor's front yard and I haven't been able to catch them at home in daylight) and grab them today.  I'll leave all the older ones and hope they come back next year in wetter weather - and that I don't tick off the neighbors...but it's pretty obvious they don't have a clue what's growing in their rather unkempt yard.  

3 minutes ago, Lily said:

I think it is hen of the woods. They are deformed by the growth condition. 

Thank you! 

[Staveshaver]

The first couple of pics look like healthy, growing baby hens. The others look dry and crackled like they were trying to grow in conditions that were too dry.

 

Here's some pictures of some baby hens. These were all growing around an oak tree, and I was going to continue to take pictures as they grew, but someone else cut or destroyed them when just a few days after I took these pics. 

 

 

 

There are five babies in this picture.

[Lilion]

10 minutes ago, Staveshaver said:

The first couple of pics look like healthy, growing baby hens. The others look dry and crackled like they were trying to grow in conditions that were too dry.

 

Here's some pictures of some baby hens. These were all growing around an oak tree, and I was going to continue to take pictures as they grew, but someone else cut or destroyed them when just a few days after I took these pics. 

 

 

 

It has been rather dry this fall.  The first two photos were the ones that came up this week.  The cut one I took 7 days ago, and was the freshest, though it was starting to dry.  The one next to the "stump" of a shroom is growing next to where I harvested the first one and the last photo is one that was old and left a week ago. 

I REALLY appreciate the responses!  I've just never seen them this young, so I was surprised by the look. 

Given the nighttime temps...supposed to be 21 tonight...should I pick them?  They likely won't get bigger this late in the year will they?   This is the only night we're supposed to be that cold for the next week...but there's no real rain in the forecast either. 

Wish it was in my yard...I'd mulch them thoroughly and water them! 

 

[Lilion]

Well, I grabbed them at lunch.  Hated to pick babies, but with a hard freeze coming tonight, also hated to leave them.  There's 2 or 3 I didn't pick, so they should have plenty to come back from. 

[CamilleR]

I think there were a lot of baby hens that were frozen last night. I assume that will stop their growth? We had about 2 inches of rain in the last week. Finally enough to get them growing and now it seems too late. I will still check my trees again just in case.

[Dave W]

I think it's a good idea to harvest healthy Hens in advance of temps that will cause a hard freeze. Once they freeze and thaw, they begin to decompose.