It’s kind of neat when you think about what all these behaviors suggest about the power of the mothering/nurturing instinct.
Our barnyard hens won’t adopt orphans unless you can sneak them under her while she is still hatching out her own eggs.
Grafting is very hard unless you have a willing mom.
As for Henny, she just walked away from her own brood without a care in the world but it was her first batch. I guess the light came on and now she has no problem with motherhood. She will try to claim whatever chicks she can. She is currently nesting deep inside a huge, thick weed patch on the farm and we’re waiting for her to pop out with another brood anyday now.