Hatching with 2 broodies

[16 paws]

Ok so i got back from my dads today. My mom told me a 2 weeks ago my hen went broody i told her to mark the egg. I let them freerange for awhile. I have 4 adult hens theres beatle my black birchin maran, rose my mix of buff orphington/ red star at the moment she has six chicks, blanch buff orphington/ red star current broody, dorthy buff orphington/ red star. Ok well two off them went under the front porch. I got dorthy out but the second one was harder to get out because it would get up so i finally had to scare it out. I thought it was rose because i sall one of them sitting on the nest so i figered it was blanche. Well it turns out that rose abanded her six chicks and decided to go broody again. Beatle has taken up the responsibility of taking care of the six chicks and blanche is still broody. If they dont stay in the same nest box i will split the eggs up. Six will go to rose and five will go to blanche. Hopefully they both stay broody and beatle takes good care of the chicks.

Good luck to you, I hope it works out well for all of them....
Marie

 

[sex links]

The black one is beatle the adopte parent and the golden one is rose there arriginal broody mom but know sitting on her eleven eggs

 

[Beour3rd]

Do you have your broodys seperated? I would let each broody hatch by themselves in a quiet protected area. That almost happened to one of my chicks once when two broodys were hatching together.They started fighting over the chicks and one baby got hurt. I would watch and see what is going on. Any more hatch yet?

yes it is one hen per group of eggs with feeder and waterer. closed off from the rest. its protected quiet and darker than the coop itself

we've had 6 die now a 7th is hatching now.. i can hear it chirp but i dont want to interfeer..yet..will it jsut die as well? waste of life;[

should also be noted that we have 4 hens doing this and its not just one of them this is occuring with..all of them..why?

 

[16 paws]

yes it is one hen per group of eggs with feeder and waterer. closed off from the rest. its protected quiet and darker than the coop itself

we've had 6 die now a 7th is hatching now.. i can hear it chirp but i dont want to interfeer..yet..will it jsut die as well? waste of life;[

should also be noted that we have 4 hens doing this and its not just one of them this is occuring with..all of them..why?

Are the hens hurting the babies? Need more info so we can help you....

 

[Beour3rd]

Are the hens hurting the babies? Need more info so we can help you....

yes the hens take care of them up until they walk out then kill them.

 

[tennboy1]

Had 3 go broody all beside each other this month!!! A BO and white rock and Rhode Island Red. They switch nests too. Other hens have laid in with them so everyday s new chick hatches. It's quite interesting

 

[sssharon]

Tella, you will no doubt end with two moms. I have just gone through that. I hd a broody sitting on 6 eggs and one week before hatch date another of my chickens started sitting on the eggs also. They took turns up until hatch time. My chicks are 6 weeks old and the second hen that took over is still sitting with the chicks. The first broody has distanced herself. She usually weans them at 4 to 5 weeks old but this other hen still acts like they are babies. It's real cute. They even sit under her still. Don't worry about your chicks. Sounds like your chickens have it covered. I hope u have great luck with your babies. Enjoy the fact that mama will do all the work. It also makes it much easier with the chicks transition into the flock,I have incubated several times and you just can't beat a good Broody! Good luck!

 

[tennboy1]

I had 13 chicks hatch from the 3 broody a that sat beside each other during august. I had to rescue a few while hatching and assist them cause of the egg membrane shrinking on the chicks.

 

[janus60]

Hi, I have a broody serama and her serama boyfriend successfully hatch and care for 2 tiny serama chicks.2 days ago. When the chicks hatched she left the nest which had 7 eggs left. one of which had piped. I took the eggs and a day later two hatched in my incubator yesterday, 24hrs later (tonight) when the were strong enough and walking I slipped the chicks under the broody while she chicks, and her cockerel had settled down for the night. (they sleep together with chicks under broody and cockerel beside her, his head laying over her back)
All seems well and she seems to have accepted the extra chicks as there was no squeaking from the chicks, all's quite and mum dad fast asleep last time I checked.

These serama chicks are the size of quail chicks, so very tiny, mum and dad themselves can fit in the palm of your hand. The family live in a large rabbit cage, just him and her and the chicks, he has been by her side throughout her 3 weeks brooding the eggs.

My problem is that more eggs are now pipping in the incubator and they will be 2 days or more before all completed the hatch. This makes them much younger than the chicks she now has. So far she has accepted the latest hatchlings, but can a mixed age brood work, the oldest will be 4-5 days and youngest probably 24hrs the way this hatch is going.

Its going to be a nail-biting night hopping when she wakes in the morning she will accept that her family have doubled overnight,

 

[16 paws]

Hi, I have a broody serama and her serama boyfriend successfully hatch and care for 2 tiny serama chicks.2 days ago. When the chicks hatched she left the nest which had 7 eggs left. one of which had piped. I took the eggs and a day later two hatched in my incubator yesterday, 24hrs later (tonight) when the were strong enough and walking I slipped the chicks under the broody while she chicks, and her cockerel had settled down for the night. (they sleep together with chicks under broody and cockerel beside her, his head laying over her back)
All seems well and she seems to have accepted the extra chicks as there was no squeaking from the chicks, all's quite and mum dad fast asleep last time I checked.

These serama chicks are the size of quail chicks, so very tiny, mum and dad themselves can fit in the palm of your hand. The family live in a large rabbit cage, just him and her and the chicks, he has been by her side throughout her 3 weeks brooding the eggs.

My problem is that more eggs are now pipping in the incubator and they will be 2 days or more before all completed the hatch. This makes them much younger than the chicks she now has. So far she has accepted the latest hatchlings, but can a mixed age brood work, the oldest will be 4-5 days and youngest probably 24hrs the way this hatch is going.

Its going to be a nail-biting night hopping when she wakes in the morning she will accept that her family have doubled overnight,

If it were me I would try adding them. Its a risk, I know. I would do it at night when it is dark. I would be right there at first light to make sure all is going well. In my experience you can tell if it is going to be a problem pretty quick. The only other way is to raise them with the mama heat pad near the parents (where they can see each other) and then reunite them later down the road sometime. There is a thread on here that explains how to do the heat pad brooding. Let us know how you get along will you? I bet the Serama chicks are adorable.

And the roo laying by her is so cute. Do you have any pictures?
Marie