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I've noticed that too....the chicks that take too long to come out and arrive after the others seem too weak to live. Toes curled, peeping all the time....just not thriving.
Sounds like you have the ideal brooding pen there! I just made one and it could possibly hold three broodies with some good space between them but I wouldn't push anymore than that. It's larger than my old brood pen, so I'm very happy with it. I know what you mean about chicks running into a cranky broody mama on another nest...might get their heads pecked in....or they may be "stolen". I've not had it happen before but you never know.
The last two broodies I brooded together were both hatching on the same day and then proceeded to raise their families together until one left the whole group to the other broody and went back to the flock. It's funny to watch all those family dynamics, isn't it?
I've noticed that most folks have plenty of broodies this year....an abundance, really. I just have the one, but my flock is very small right now...when it gets bigger I suspect I'll be seeing more broodies.
Sounds like you have the ideal brooding pen there! I just made one and it could possibly hold three broodies with some good space between them but I wouldn't push anymore than that. It's larger than my old brood pen, so I'm very happy with it. I know what you mean about chicks running into a cranky broody mama on another nest...might get their heads pecked in....or they may be "stolen". I've not had it happen before but you never know.
The last two broodies I brooded together were both hatching on the same day and then proceeded to raise their families together until one left the whole group to the other broody and went back to the flock. It's funny to watch all those family dynamics, isn't it?
I've noticed that most folks have plenty of broodies this year....an abundance, really. I just have the one, but my flock is very small right now...when it gets bigger I suspect I'll be seeing more broodies.