Two broody hens in one pen chicks are favouring the one will this make the other depressed?

[Torisgloomyplace]

I’ve had to put two broodys together both have two chicks the one is a silkie and the a silkie x pekin bantam. My silkie has barely left the coop in the past few days but the pekin x silkie has been foraging and as a result the all the chicks have followed her she is very possessive over them and I’m worry that my silkie will be depressed if her baby’s don’t stick with her a lot.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

In my experience, no. The secondary mother will just follow along, parenting the best she can. We had a similar situation and this is what happened. The second mama did not seem aware that she was kind of the "third wheel," so there was no jealousy or sadness that I could discern. It was just one big happy family. I hope it works out this way for you.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What it sounds like to me is that the hens fought over who gets to raise the chicks and the mix won. I'd expect the Silkie to break from being broody and wanting to look after those chicks within the next day or two and return to being a regular chicken.

Don't worry about her being depressed. This is just part of the broody cycle. Nature can seem harsh to us but it is instinctively a way for them to battle extinction. They get on with life when they lose their chicks.

 

[Torisgloomyplace]

In my experience, no. The secondary mother will just follow along, parenting the best she can. We had a similar situation and this is what happened. The second mama did not seem aware that she was kind of the "third wheel," so there was no jealousy or sadness that I could discern. It was just one big happy family. I hope it works out this way for you.

I hope so too. She’s currently acting like she’s still sitting on eggs but I think that’s just because her baby’s hatched recently.

 

[Torisgloomyplace]

What it sounds like to me is that the hens fought over who gets to raise the chicks and the mix won. I'd expect the Silkie to break from being broody and wanting to look after those chicks within the next day or two and return to being a regular chicken.

Don't worry about her being depressed. This is just part of the broody cycle. Nature can seem harsh to us but it is instinctively a way for them to battle extinction. They get on with life when they lose their chicks.

Yeah. I don’t know it just gives me so much anxiety because she sat on them for two weeks but as long as she’s not depressed or unhappy.

 

[Torisgloomyplace]

In my experience, no. The secondary mother will just follow along, parenting the best she can. We had a similar situation and this is what happened. The second mama did not seem aware that she was kind of the "third wheel," so there was no jealousy or sadness that I could discern. It was just one big happy family. I hope it works out this way for you.

Aw that’s cute.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My silkie has barely left the coop in the past few days but the pekin x silkie has been foraging and as a result the all the chicks have followed her

This is what makes me think one hen has taken over raising them. The Silkie has not been out there with them and is staying away.

 

[Torisgloomyplace]

This is what makes me think one hen has taken over raising them. The Silkie has not been out there with them and is staying away.

Yeah. That makes sense.
The chicks also seem to be choosing to go under Dottie (the pekin x silkie).
I’m just worried that she going to be upset by it