Double Mom

[chicknmania]

One of our young hens, Onyx, one of Hedwig's chicks, is sitting on a bunch of eggs in an empty trash can in our barn. Don't ask me why, it is one of the hen's favorite places to lay, so we gave in and put straw in it. since it's a communal nest there are about 25 eggs in there. Now, one of the Golden Comet hens has been hanging around Onyx, and the nest, all day. Tonight when I went to shut the barn up for the night, both hens are crammed together asleep in the trash can on top of all the eggs! This happened once before a few years ago; we had two hens sharing a nest, and together they only hatched one chick...then they fought over who would raise her. The one who was not her mom won. When they were setting they would take turns, one would keep the eggs warm while the other stretched her legs and ate. they are so fun to watch!

 

[Mahonri]

I'd try and break one of the broodies.

 

[Southernbelle]

I love watching broodies with babies! I've had a lot of my broodies choose to co-parent - either sharing a nest or sharing the babies - or both! I've had babies hop out of this nest and adopt themselves into that nest.

My very first broodies were one white Silkie and one blue Silkie, 7 months old. I moved both their seperate nests into a brooder pen and every day they each went back on their own nests. The blue hen's eggs hatched one day ahead of the white hens and once they were all hatched she moved into the white hens' box with all the chicks. When I saw them, the blue hen was hunkered down and the white hen had a wing thrown over her. Almost like the blue hen got scared of the whole baby hatching thing and the white hen was comforting her! They went on to raise their babies together - the white hen was the designated food finder and would kick up massive amounts of shavings in an exaggerated way to show the babies what to do and the blue hen was the designated heat lamp and would obligingly squat down to warm the babies.

The next time they went broody - the went at the same time again! This time they shared a nest. When one would get up to eat - the other would steal all the eggs and tuck them under her. When the other got back, there would be a gentle wrestling match to see who could get the eggs. None were ever broken. They sat so close to each other, I couldn't tell who had the eggs.

I love broodies

 

[windtryst]

I have two Cochins just like that. They look alike and share eggs, and raising the chicks...Twins I guess. The babies go back and forth, an I have one 3 week old with the new babies...every one gets along fine

 

[Garden Gal]

Southernbelle,

What a sweet story!! If only we could all get along so well!

 

[chicknmania]

I do, too. I would rather let them do their thing, than try to interfere. I did try to shoo the Golden Comet away earlier today, but she just comes back, and I think they will be ok.