Anyone ever see this - three broodies cuddling together?

[marli365]

My 3-yo Japanese buff bantam goes broody constantly. A year ago, she raised a 10-day old Japanese buff bantam (put under her wing at night) that turned into a rooster. In August she had a little hidey-hole with 7(!) eggs in a bunch of weeds. Three hens (and another rooster) hatched out, and now I have mother and two daughters are all Broody Together!! Has anyone else seen this?

 

[MissLavender]

Yes! I have 2 sister hens who are raising a clutch of chicks together as we speak!

 

[gpresdo]

Interesting.
Here are 4 blue australorps .....large girls...currently setting.....56 eggs....and will come off for break period at the same time.
They do have different nests, however rather than open nesting as you have.
The mothers (4) of these 4 do the same thing. They brooded early....in march.

 

[RiverOtter]

Yes, I have!
It's adorable, but I separate them. They tend to seriously over-turn the eggs, steal them from each other and too often they all want the first chicks hatched and abandon the other eggs. Sometimes they'll actually fight over a chick, which can get killed in the squabble. And sometimes the chicks can't figure out who to follow and end up getting lost and dying.

 

[marli365]

My 3-yo Japanese buff bantam goes broody constantly. A year ago, she raised a 10-day old Japanese buff bantam (put under her wing at night) that turned into a rooster. In August she had a little hidey-hole with 7(!) eggs in a bunch of weeds. Three hens (and another rooster) hatched out, and now I have mother and two daughters are all Broody Together!! Has anyone else seen this?
View attachment 2094550

My 3 are currently sitting on unconvincing scratched brown ceramic eggs, but are quick to jump on anybody’s eggs that get laid near them. I take each of them out each day for cuddles, snacks, and dust baths. I can’t let them hatch any right now, we are too crowded.

 

[marli365]

Yes, I have!
It's adorable, but I separate them. They tend to seriously over-turn the eggs, steal them from each other and too often they all want the first chicks hatched and abandon the other eggs. Sometimes they'll actually fight over a chick, which can get killed in the squabble. And sometimes the chicks can't figure out who to follow and end up getting lost and dying.

Thanks for the advice, good to know. One weird thing is that the Mama hen seems confused and sometimes chirps to the others about treats. They all get along so well. They have definitely been broody together for longer than 3 weeks. Almost like they are reinforcing each other to Stay Broody, Team! Since they don’t have real eggs, we are OK right now.