Broody help? Is it contagious?

[NellaBean]

I have a single broody Barred Cochin in one of my nest boxes in the coop. She must have gotten off the nest to get a snack and stretch her legs as when I went to visit, she was sitting in a different box (on 1 brand new freshly laid egg, and a wooden one) and my little Buttercup hen was sitting on the big ol clutch of eggs, trying her hardest to fit them all under her (it didn't work, she is itty and there are 9 large eggs). When I went to move the buttercup off the eggs, she was pecking away at me and throwing a huge fit. But once she was out and I moved the cochin back into the correct box, the buttercup went on her merry way like normal.

Is it normal to have "helpers"? It was extremely cold this weekend...probably about 25 degrees when this happened. It seemed like she just wanted to help out or maybe steal the eggs but once she was out of the box, there was no broody behavior at all.

 

[adorable]

yes it is normal...I have a broody silkie. SHe is sitting on 7 eggs. She got up to do the same as yours. The other one decided i am going to lay my egg in this nest. Then before you new it there was 2 of them. I had to seperate the broody from the rest. Because she got on the wrong nest because it was in use with 2 others.

 

[LaSombra]

I'm guessing Buttercup wanted to add an egg to the nest. I've had new eggs appear in the nest before like that and had to remove them. It's a good idea to mark the ones you want to be hatched so you know which ones to remove in case that happens. I even had a hen go in the nest while the other was setting and squeeze in on top of her to lay an egg. LOL, poor broody, but she didn't seem to mind, just added that egg to the others till I took it out.