Strange Broody Behavior

[4chickns]

I have a silkie hen who has been broody for a few months now (I finally bought her some fertilized eggs to sit on). We have one other silkie hen living with her and she does something very strange. Every time I would take the broody silkie out of her nesting box to free range (before she was sitting on her eggs), the other hen would bow down and spread her wings, making a cooing noise. She has since gone broody as well, and now every time I check on them, she puffs up, bows down and spreads her wings to me. She doesn't even have to see me, I just have to say hello and the second she hears my voice she coos and puffs up like that. It's so funny, but I was wondering if anyone knew what that meant.

 

[wegotchickens]

She's defending the chicks she doesn't have yet.

 

[4chickns]

Quote:
Really? The one doing the bowing wasn't the one that was broody, she went broody later. Was she getting ready to go broody, and that's why she was doing it to the other broody hen? I understand that may be why she does it to me now, but I can still pick her up off of her nest and she doesn't peck me or anything. I hope this means she's going to be a good mommy, along with her friend.

 

[wegotchickens]

I think broody hens must set off hormones in other hens. I've seen some of my hens do this around a broody, and tried to go broody later. They were standard hens, though, and all I had was fertile banty eggs. Didn't want them stomping itty bitty chicks with those big clumsy BO feet these girls had.

My banty broody (the one who sets off everyone's hormones) is a good mama now, but she wasn't on the first hatch. Now that she has the hang of it she's AWESOME though.

 

[4chickns]

That is so interesting, it does seem like our one hen made the other go broody. This is a first time for both of them hatching eggs, so I hope they get the hang of it pretty quick. After our black hen was broody for about 2 months, and taking her off the nest and taking her friends eggs she was sitting on didn't work, we decided to let her hatch some.
Thank you for the info!

 

[wegotchickens]

No problem!

Good luck!!!