Has anyone ever had a rooster go Broody?

[muscovy94]

Hey I was just wondering if anyone has ever had a rooster go broody and hatch chicks?

 

[Illia]

I don't think it is possible, however one may think it would be, seeing a rooster display the common behavior of getting in a nest or creating a nest and laying there, trilling and making other noises for a long duration - But it's just a common behavior of enticing and helping the hen out.

 

[Brody's Broodello]

Have several silkie cocks that will sit on the eggs at night with the hens. After the little one's hatch, they will babysit while mom get's her food. I had one this summer that would let the babbies sit on his back as he very gently did the crab crawl around the stall. The whole time he held his wings back so his little package would not fall off. When he got to where he was going he would gently sit down and start eating ot drinking, so as not to dislodge his passenger. But that is a Silkie for ya, nothing surprises me with them anymore!

 

[Illia]

Brody's Broodello :

Have several silkie cocks that will sit on the eggs at night with the hens. After the little one's hatch, they will babysit while mom get's her food. I had one this summer that would let the babbies sit on his back as he very gently did the crab crawl around the stall. The whole time he held his wings back so his little package would not fall off. When he got to where he was going he would gently sit down and start eating ot drinking, so as not to dislodge his passenger. But that is a Silkie for ya, nothing surprises me with them anymore!

Araucanas do the same. . I thought we were actually talking about hatching the eggs, sitting on them for the time being, etc . . ?

Because otherwise, sure, I've see and known plenty Araucanas and even a few Ameraucanas as great fathers.​

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

For what it's worth, I have a pigeon who lives with the chickens; he was broody on eggs a couple of weeks ago. Alas, no one to share setting duty with.

When giving chicks a foster parent, I'd as soon give them a cock; much more likely to not take exception to the babies coming to him for warmth or protection, and after a day or two he will begin mor active parenting. I do have a few hens who easily adopt chicklets.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
The thing with pigeons is that the Hen and the Cock will take turns setting the eggs (and feeding the young birds). On will sit in the morning and the other at night.

Chris

 

[flgardengirl]

I have a goofy blue copper roo that will sit on his favorite hen's eggs with her. He won't sit on any other hen's eggs, just hers.

 

[Redcatcher]

Many, many years ago, capons were trained to brood chicks but they never incubated or hatched eggs. Their breast feathers were usually plucked so that they actually looked to the chicks for warmth and comfort and in turn the chicks kept them warm.

 

[elizabethbinary]

Not sure about chooks but my Muscy is a super good loving papa that sits on the babies/eggs as well sometimes. But he's a super proud papa. Always dancing and showing off his babies to whoever he can. Cute.

 

[centrarchid]

We had a few game roosters that would brood orphaned chicks that were to point of first flight. Initially chicks just roosted tight against him. After a couple days he would be leading them about and get balled-up if threatened.

On walks with a single hen and rooster, I also saw roosters take over brooding of chicks as hen proceeded to set a second clutch. Some roosters did this readily while others not. Never seen it with multiple hens.

This a behavior of great interest to me as it might be exploited to increase survival of free ranged chicks hatched using incubator.