Do I need to separate more then one brooding hen

[Lilalienangel]

Mine play musical chairs. It seems they are all taking turns mothering and brooding. Even one of the original banty broodies hops up and sits on eggs while the Maran is away. The rest of the time she tends to chicks..

 

[Sheeba]

Mine play musical chairs. It seems they are all taking turns mothering and brooding. Even one of the original banty broodies hops up and sits on eggs while the Maran is away. The rest of the time she tends to chicks..

How funny and mine are too only when a brooder's nest is taken while she eats or whatever and she comes back she'll go sit somewhere else and then when her original nest is available again the poor eggs sit till them get cold. I'm trying to keep the eyes dated so I know if it's been under a hen or if it's a new egg. I also try to keep moving the eggs now so they stay warm but it's hard when they're out there and I'm in and out doing my chores! I'll just keep trying I guess.

I think it's a good idea to keep the brooders separate too next yr. cause I don't want to go through all this again. They all need to be on the floor too, or ground! I tried to put one in another pen we have but she wouldn't have anything to do with and left her eggs to go back to the coop; even after trapping her in there to stay with those eggs. [it's a decent sized pen.] 10 x 10 - chainlink with roof and half the walls closed up from weather

 

[aart]

I tried to put one in another pen we have but she wouldn't have anything to do with and left her eggs to go back to the coop; even after trapping her in there to stay with those eggs.

When I have a broody I wait until she's been in the nest most the day and all night for 2-3 days...along with those other signs I posted.

Then I put her in the broody enclosure with fake eggs in the floor nest, she won't like being moved, but if she is truly good and broody she will settle onto the new nest within a half a day.
Then I give her fresh fertile eggs and mark the calendar.

I like them separated by wire from the flock, it's just easier all around.
No having to mark eggs and remove any additions daily, no taking up a laying nest, no going back to the wrong nest after the daily constitutional.

 

[Jedstar]

All depends if you want your chook to still sit on eggs. But becarful because most of the time there tends to be a chain reaction when other hens start going clucky aswell. Me I've got my clucky hen out in a separate cage because I got sick of her being clucky in the coop distracting the other chooks. And last time the same hen causes 3 other hens to go clucky. Not good.so this time I moved her out before that happened.

 

[Lilalienangel]

So I felt the need to update. My Isbar has decided she takes offense to only my frizzle trying to mother. There was obviously a fight this morning. I came out to many feathers. My poor frizzle got the worst of it. She has a few bald spots and minor injuries. Now that the Isbar has taken command of the chicks she keeps leaving one chick on the other side of the yard. My frizzle steals that baby until the Isbar notices then I have to holler at them to avoid a fight. I am thinking at this point I need to separate my poor fizzle. I'll give her the chick that keeps getting left behind and separate them. My frizzle doesn't do well with mating and my roo so I'll keep her in the garage until she is healed and done being mommy then sell her. Sigh. I really wanted to keep her but she's the odd one out. The Isbar has no issue with anyone else mothering except my frizzle.. My prettiest bird. Of course.. Tis the life of a small time chicken keeper...

 

[Lilalienangel]

I am definitely thinking I'll just separate the first broody next year... If it is 3 again; the original 3 broodies..

 

[Sheeba]

When I have a broody I wait until she's been in the nest most the day and all night for 2-3 days...along with those other signs I posted.

Then I put her in the broody enclosure with fake eggs in the floor nest, she won't like being moved, but if she is truly good and broody she will settle onto the new nest within a half a day.
Then I give her fresh fertile eggs and mark the calendar.

I like them separated by wire from the flock, it's just easier all around.
No having to mark eggs and remove any additions daily, no taking up a laying nest, no going back to the wrong nest after the daily constitutional.

Ooohh, ya know, I did wait for 4-5 days and that girl just wouldn't have it. She must have not been truly broody, eh? Say? You mentioned you keep them separated by wire; how does that work? Oh, chicken wire? Yes, okay, that would get it. Great Idea!! lol, thanks a mil~!

 

[aart]

She must have not been truly broody, eh?

Could be....or some might just not take to be separated.
I've found moving them at night, well after dark, works best so as not to interrupt the 'broody trance'.

Say? You mentioned you keep them separated by wire; how does that work? Oh, chicken wire? Yes, okay, that would get it.

The temporary wall is made of chicken wire and wood.
But you could use about any kind of wire mesh.
Some pics in here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

 

[Sheeba]

Hello All; I have several hens brooding at the same time and was wondering if I need to separate them from each other?
The hens are brooding in the same coop but in their own nests. I was wondering if when babies hatch then would each hen tend to their own or will the girls attack other chicks in the group?

UPDATE: had to separate brooding hens who played musical chairs from the coop for a couple of weeks since they couldn't make up their minds to sit or not. 2 hens however; continued to sit and hatched one egg each. lol. I only have one rooster for 40 plus hens so fertilization is slim but that's okay. I hatched a few and got more roosters in there then hens so now I'll have to chose who goes and I hate that part. All in all though, we're good now - no brooders anymore. Thank goodness 'cause that was tough