Broody leghorn...?!?

[hmbrown05]

I have a flock of 22 birds consisting of 14 laying hens, 2 cockrels, one rooster and 5 pullets. I have a conchin x leghorn that went broody (second timer) yesterday and today have a white leghorn, 15 months-old, that is refusing to leave a nest I was trying to entice someone to brood on (only the egg she laid today under her). How crazy is that?? I was under the impression that white leghorns were practially completely bred out of broodiness. She appears healthy otherwise, nice bright red comb, alert and responsive, no other odd behavior or distress. I went ahead and stuck some eggs under her just because the other broody has like 20+ cached under her and it's way too many for her to cover adequately (not too concerned about hatch rate-these are bonus babies), but am just bumfuddled. Is this more common than I am thinking?

 

[Ugadano]

I think it must be the WhyMese "Year Of The Broody White Leghorns", as I have one, you have one, and someone else on here laughed when I mentioned mine in disbelief the other day and said they have one also!

I remember just staring at her open-mouthed when I recognized her fluffed out bok-ing and it dawned on me! She's faithful, too! She wants back on HER nest, the other 3 broodies can take a hike for all she cares! Hope yours stays it out too!

I had an EE give up after 7 days this spring, but I think it's her again on my pipping clutch, and she's staying the course this time. If she'll mother them, I'll let her keep the chicks and put the remaining eggs under WL. We're gonna play musical nests and musical eggs for a few weeks.

 

[hmbrown05]

My conchin cross was an excellent mother and with her being crossed with a leghorn she lays daily too when she is not brooding. I have an EE that brooded successfully last fall and was hoping to encourage her to sit again, but she has completely stopped laying due to heat stress (South Texas...) and has no interest in anything other than eating. I was extatic when the conchin started sitting as her last clutch is not even mature and laying yet (hatched the week before Good Friday). I was completely blown away to come home from work to find a leghorn still in the nest at 6pm, when I went back out to close the house, she was still there and not going to budge! I guess we'll see! Good luck!!

 

[barclay84]

My White Leghorn Hatched a baby chick 3 weeks ago. She has been the best mommy.

 

[hmbrown05]

Awe! Adorable!! Mine gave up-the other hens kept adding to her nest and she would randomly start eating an egg or two (never had that issue previously). Almost like she was hungry but didn't want to leave the nest...she's an odd one. I moved her to try and keep the other bords from laying in her nest and she broke. Oh well, the egg eating had me a bit worried that she would cannabilize her chicks if/when they hatched. Not ment to be I guess. My cochin/leghorn x hatched out 5 little fluffs 5 weeks ago and is again being an awesome mother hen