Hi, I have a ten year old standard Easter Egger who has started mothering the rest of the flock -- 5 bantams.
Some background -- the EE has always been dominant -- not letting the other hens on the highest roost, picking feathers, guarding food etc. She has never raised chicks or spent much time broody. Also, the mothering behavior started happening within a week after her long-time flockmate died -- a rival standard hen. For 4 months now she's been trying to feed the bantams (clucking them over to special foods, breaking the food up and dropping it for them). Also she's letting them sleep by and under her.
Has anyone experienced anything like this? It will be interesting to see how long it continues.
Some background -- the EE has always been dominant -- not letting the other hens on the highest roost, picking feathers, guarding food etc. She has never raised chicks or spent much time broody. Also, the mothering behavior started happening within a week after her long-time flockmate died -- a rival standard hen. For 4 months now she's been trying to feed the bantams (clucking them over to special foods, breaking the food up and dropping it for them). Also she's letting them sleep by and under her.
Has anyone experienced anything like this? It will be interesting to see how long it continues.