Broodiness contagious/broody brahma?

[gocrow77]

First off I'm wondering if seeing/having a new broody around will increase the chances that other ladies will get the urge to sit. I had a silkie go broody in my mixed flock the other day. After being assured that she was "serious" I set 5 eggs tht had been in my incubator under her. I have two sets of nestboxes one directly above the other. My silkie is setting in the lower one. My LF light brahmas ALWAYS lay in the upper boxes - until the last few days - one lady has switched her favorite box to one of the lower ones. Today she laid her egg and is still sitting in the box. Has she moved her favorite nesting spot in order to brood her chicks in a more easily accessable location? I plan to watch her off and on for the rest of today to see if she really stays in the box consistantly. If she does I will be putting around 8 or so eggs that have about a week and a half to go. Be good to have anothers insight on this one. The silkie that went broody the other day is my first experience with one, and that has only been for a day or so, lol.

 

[dancingbear]

I have no idea why broodies chose the locations they do. Some make sense, some don't.

I think there's something to the idea that broodiness is catching. There could very well be a pheromone produced by a broody, that will trigger broodiness in others. I just had a whole coop full of broodies, all but 2 have chicks to raise now, (two were crazed psycho moms, and have to be removed to chicken jail) and I have more egg in my 'bator. I was hoping for another broody to put them under before they hatch, but now that there are no more broodies to copy, nobody is acting at all like they might start. They could care less.

Just as well, I have moms and babies all over the place as it is.

 

[gocrow77]

I think the scientific term for it is "reproductive competition". I know that dogs do it - females will cycle together so that when they have pups they will all be near the same age and no one females pups will have a huge age/size advantage over the others for resources. Human women that work or live together will often start to cycle together as well. Just wasn't sure if chickens would have that kind of influence over one another or not, but it makes sense since other animals do it. Thank you for replying, seems my posts are not getting much response lately. I appreciate your time.

 

[dancingbear]

LOL. A lot of mine don't get much response, either. Who knows why, I don't think it's personal.