Rooster and hen sitting together on a single egg

[member 564946]

We have a partridge chantecler rooster and hen both a year old. A few days ago the hen went broody and is sitting on a single egg. The rooster has now decided that he is going to sit next to her on the nest and does so most of the day. The hen doesn't seem to mind this.
We did have three hens originally and two died a month after getting them so this pair have been together constantly all last year. We have no other birds.
Is this normal for a rooster. I think it would be unfair to seperate them given the Hen seems ok with the company and its still -20c at night here in northern Saskatchewan so the extra warmth is good.
Any advise is appreciated.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have the same thing going on with my Pheonixs. My younger boy and a young hen are on a big nest together. Have been fotr a week and more

 

[member 564946]

I have the same thing going on with my Pheonixs. My younger boy and a young hen are on a big nest together. Have been fotr a week and more

It also seems a little odd behaviour to me and I am presuming that it's due to thee rooster not having other ladies to occupy him. Forgot to mention that the rooster has also stopped crowing completely.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I'm not sure, maybe in your case. Mine is kind of separated since the other rooster will beat him if he sees him, but he has plenty of other girls he can get to

Yours might be more if how cold it is

 

[centrarchid]

You may be seeing broody rooster behavior although I am not used to seeing the roosters actually participating in incubation. It is not a natural behavior as probably no body benefits directly from it. Will be interesting to see how much the rooster invests in the resulting chick. Mine normally do not really get into effort until the chicks hatch. Can only be one hen for the behavior to manifest.

 

[janiedoe]

I had a rooster who helped raise chicks but I've never been so lucky as to have one who co-brooded. I'd just say "whatch and learn".
Be sure and keep this thread going (with pictures of course ). I'd pay special attention around the hatch date to make sure the chick isn't harmed.
Btw, does the rooster act broody when you go near the nest? (Screeching and flattening?)

 

[member 564946]

Thanks for your replies, well he sat with the hen all night. This morning I went to do their water an food and he was waiting at the door for me. The hen was the one who flattened herself in the nest and growled.
I watched afterwards door a bit and he went back to the nest box and was paying some attention to her but he's still not crowing in the morning at all.
I will get some pictures today. New at this and as we are completely off grid we don't have a computer internet connection. So we use a phone lol.

 

[centrarchid]

Thanks for your replies, well he sat with the hen all night. This morning I went to do their water an food and he was waiting at the door for me. The hen was the one who flattened herself in the nest and growled.
I watched afterwards door a bit and he went back to the nest box and was paying some attention to her but he's still not crowing in the morning at all.
I will get some pictures today. New at this and as we are completely off grid we don't have a computer internet connection. So we use a phone lol.

My broody roosters also decrease crowing.

 

[member 564946]

Thanks. I checked his crop this morning to make sure he hadnt got a blockage before he fed. So it does sound like a broody rooster and good to know other roosters quiet down as well if they are doing this.
As we just have the pair it seems some behaviour is a little odd. It's not in the books we have anyway, so thanks for these replies everyone. It's reassuring.

 

[centrarchid]

Thanks. I checked his crop this morning to make sure he hadnt got a blockage before he fed. So it does sound like a broody rooster and good to know other roosters quiet down as well if they are doing this.
As we just have the pair it seems some behaviour is a little odd. It's not in the books we have anyway, so thanks for these replies everyone. It's reassuring.

What you are seeing is unusual.

Below is link describing some of what I see, which does not include rooster spending time investing directly in incubation.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/what-to-look-for-in-a-broody-rooster.882368/