Broody marans adopting a full-grown bantam hen?

[slantrhymes]

Hi! My chickens are doing weird things, and I can't find any answers on the web. Hopefully one of you has some insight!

My fiancé and I have a BCM hen, about a year old, who was broody on Monday. We moved from northern CA to Washington state on Tuesday, and I assumed that would break her broodiness. For the move, I put her in a crate with our bantam D'Uccle, who was raised with her. (They're inseparable; the D'Uccle is a couple of months older, but was about the same size as the younger marans chicks we were raising at the time, so we put them together.)

During the loooonnng drive, I noticed the marans sort of sitting on the D'Uccle. Whatever; moving car, small crate. Then I realized that a) the marans was actually walking over the D'Uccle, sitting on her and fluffing up around her (not hard to do with the size difference!) and b) the D'Uccle was also initiating by nestling into the marans' feathers like a chick would. This continued when I watched them tonight in the new house. Little D'Uccle ran over to the marans and tried her damnedest to fit under her "mom."

It's really cute, not gonna lie. But I'm totally puzzled. The D'Uccle is definitely not a chick or even close--she's over a year old (she was recently broody herself)--and she wasn't raised under a hen, either. We had her in a brooder box. So...what is this behavior? Has anyone had a broody "adopt" a smaller adult hen?

 

[chickens really]

No never have had that happen here. In the animal kingdom anything is possible. My Friend had a Broody Goose that adopted a Bunny and it lived with her and the goslings. Cute story...

 

[BlueBaby]

Maybe the bantam one is afraid because of what's happening, so the big broody is protecting it?

 

[PouleChick]

When I got my 2 adult silkie hens they were totally freaked out by the move and me. The more dominant one did that to the other for a couple of days and Doris would also try burying her head under Hermiones wings when I came over etc so I think it was just a fear / change thing. It stopped after a couple of days.

 

[aart]

I've seen adult hens try to get under other adult hens when they are 'scared' to seek shelter. Chickens seem to get comfort by physical contact with other chickens.
The BCM being broody probably 'helped' the situation.
Funny and Cute tho indeed.

 

[slantrhymes]

I've seen adult hens try to get under other adult hens when they are 'scared' to seek shelter. Chickens seem to get comfort by physical contact with other chickens.
The BCM being broody probably 'helped' the situation.
Funny and Cute tho indeed.

When I got my 2 adult silkie hens they were totally freaked out by the move and me. The more dominant one did that to the other for a couple of days and Doris would also try burying her head under Hermiones wings when I came over etc so I think it was just a fear / change thing. It stopped after a couple of days.

That makes sense! I'd be scared, too. I'll try to give them a quiet space and some treats to ease the transition a little. Thank you for the insight, all!