Broody silkies sharing nest

[Katieskerlong]

A few weeks ago one of my silkie hens went broody so I gave her a couple eggs and left her to it. After a day or two she abandoned the nest and went back to ranging with the rest of the flock. I noticed about a day or so later and went to collect the eggs I gave her just to find that another silkie hen had taken over her nest and was committed to sitting on those eggs. She’s been glued to that nest for a week now other than to eat and relieve herself once a day. All eggs are developing and everything looks good. As of yesterday the original silkie hen has decided she wants to go broody with the other hen and is sitting in the nest with her. I move her out and find her back in with the other hen several times a day.
The hens are bonded and very close. I bought them together from another who said they were bonded to each other. But I’m concerned that once these chicks hatch one might turn on the chicks or on the other. What do y’all with experience think? I’ve never had a broody chicken before or been in the situation. The one that abandoned the best originally has apparently had experience raising chicks before and is a good mother. The other hen has stayed committed to the nest the entire time. It’s cute to watch them! Either way I’ll be keeping a close eye to see how this plays out.

 

[sourland]

Sometimes hens co set and care for chicks successfully - sometimes they don't. Given that they are silkies, it is likely that they will be in the first group.

 

[Katieskerlong]

Sometimes hens co set and care for chicks successfully - sometimes they don't. Given that they are silkies, it is likely that they will be in the first group.

Thank you, I hope that’s the case. I’ve tried taking the first off since she left the nest a while back but keep finding her with half the eggs underneath her and the other half underneath the dedicated broody