Anyone ever had a hen that was such a mother

[Remudamom]

that she would accept chicks whether she was broody or not? I have a silkie that seems to want to be a mother beyond anything else.

 

[LizaBlue]

I wish that was my problem. My first broody only had one hatch live the other day so I had the "brilliant" idea to buy it some siblings. She hates them. I don't know what I'm going to do

 

[spikennipper]

Silkies are known for their exceptional broodiness, I had silkie /sussex crosses who whenever they layed an egg would become broody, it was quite frustrating as they wouldn't stop even to the point of sitting on nothing, I had to give them away to someone in need of a couple of broodies. I have never known a chicken that would accept chicks if she wasn't broody if she did I would say she was broody to begin with.

 

[ralleia]

Several of the black Australorps that we got from McMurray consistently went broody a couple times a summer, and one year one of the non-broody BAs adopted a chick. She went so far as to chicknap it from one of the broodies!

Was quite a surprise to us!

We love the broody tendency, since it's less fuss and less mess to allow a willing hen tend a new bunch of chicks for us.

 

[ozark_chickies]

Yes, I had one like that. She was a Dominique, and she would actually steal chicks from other hens.This was twenty years ago, and I haven't had another one like her.