Older broody

[janiedoe]

This is just a curiosity question:
Has anyone had a hen go broody at a few years of age and NEVER having been broody before.
Do they always show signs their first spring?
Story behind the question...
This fall one of my broody girls ( cuckoo marans) hatched out two cockrells. One of her fellow hens, an easter egger who is 2 and has never been broody, followed them everywhere, called them for food, and even started sleeping with mom and the chicks. She took over their raising at 3 weeks. The mom started roosting and left them in the nest with the "babysitter" .
After I rehomed the cockrells she started wondering around the yard clucking & looking lost. She kept this up for several days. They were 14 weeks old and trying to breed her and she was still sleeping with them and calling them for food. It was all pretty amusing and a bit sad.
Anyway, I'm wondering if she is a potential broody or if it was all just a passing fancy. I don't particularly need another broody, I have 4 and probably some of my younger girls (offspring of broodies) will go broody also this spring.
So what is your opinion or experience?

 

[sourland]

Interesting - she may or may not go broody. Keep this thread ongoing, and update if she does go broody.

 

[janiedoe]

I'll be sure and let you know. This is the babysitter with her boys at around 6 weeks.

 

[chrissynemetz]

I had a 5 year old Cuckoo Marans who had never been broody. I added six week old pullets to my flock and she 'mothered' them until they were adults. She went broody every year after that until she died. So I'm thinking anything is possible with chickens.

 

[KiwiandPeachthePigeons]

I had a rooster that cared for the chicks... he’s really protective over his girls!