A hen with a family of ducks is not an uncommon sight, but a hen with a family of pups is a sight rarely witnessed. Such a sight, however, can be seen any day at the farm of John Leyda, Marion Township, a few miles east of Beaver Dam, Pa. Three weeks ago a Scotch collie dog belonging to Mr. Leyda gave birth to a litter of seven pups. During the day the dog left the barn and her family and went to the house for something to eat. In the barn near the pups was an old hen on a nest full of eggs. During the absence of the mother dog the pups began to whine. Straightway the old hen left her nest, went to the pups, and began gathering them under her ample wings as well as she was able, and soon clucked them to sleep. When the collie returned she made no objection to the arrangement, but laid down with them, and from that day to this the old hen has had charge of the little animals.–Pittsburg Dispatch.
Interspecies adoption is pretty common, it seems — Koko had her cat, The Littles had Stuart, and the lioness had her oryx (well, for a while, anyway). But I have been unable to locate any other instances of a chicken mothering puppies.
Marion Township is in Beaver County, Berks County, Butler County, and Centre County, PA. Given that Beaver Dam, PA is in Erie County, I’m guessing there was some sort of change (possibly postal?) since this article was written and Mr Leyda is indeed from Beaver County. Ca. 1847, there was a John Leyda in New Bedford PA (Lawrence county, made from parts of Beaver County in 1849), so perhaps our John was a descendent.
Scotch collies are Lassie’s ancestors.
The Pittsburg Dispatch operated from 1846 to 1923.