Can seeing a broody entice others to go broody?

[Hinotori]

So one of my silkies girls has finally decided to take the plunge and go broody after playing with the idea for the last month.

So she's been in there a few days so I gave her eggs this morning. Now the other silkie (top hen) and one of my EE girls (2nd hen) decided that it was their nest. The EE girl took the eggs and shoved the silkie over. The other silkie shoved herself in, too. I evicted the EE girl and she went to another nest. I'm not so worried about the other silkie. She doesn't try and take the eggs and she sits in there with the other occasionally anyway. (the nest box is big enough for two of my standard EE to lay in comfortably)

So what is the chances of them getting jealous and trying to set eggs of their own?

 

[galanie]

People say seeing other broodys doesn't make a hen go broody but I swear they always do it in twos and threes so something must be up with that.

 

[Hinotori]

Well my kicking her out and tossing down a few treats distracted the EE girl. The other silkie doesn't look like she's leaving. I'm setting up a nice little private nest in an old dog house. Maybe I can get the girl moved so she has quiet.

The white one in back has been in there for three days.

 

[Pinky]

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I agree with this^ I never have only one broody.

 

[Lollipop]

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I agree with this^ I never have only one broody.

Yup, I agree. Sorta like all the gals in a big office getting on the same mentrual cycle after working together for a while. If you move a broody, best to do it at night so they wake up in their new surroundings. Good luck...........Pop

 

[rcentner]

ABSOLUTELY!! I learned to be annoyed by broodies this summer, I had eggs hatching all summer! One would sit, then another, then another...I had 5 hens sitting at the same time! Then they all hatched and would start another round if they saw another one sitting.

 

[Pinky]

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Same here! My chicken population increased to 3Xs what it was last year!

 

[fuzziecreatures]

Each time one of my hens went broody, the other hen who was laying would go broody about 5 days later. We keep breaking them of it until spring. I would be afraid of the cold that is coming.