Two Broody Hens Together

[ctychix]

I was wondering has anyone allowed with success two hens to brood chicks in the same enclosure or do you need to keep them apart. I have chicks coming today that I will put under my broody hens, but have never let them all stay together in the same coop, anyone experienced with this?

 

[columbiacritter]

The dominant hen will either steal or drive off the other hens chicks. I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[kimthom66]

Kimthom66- can you update? I have two broody hens that I gave 4 fertilized eggs just to break them from being broody for so long- but I of course don't want them to kill the chicks! I just noticed that one has hatched (maybe more?) and so far so good- but not sure how long it would take if they were going to brawl.

 

[Freebie]

I did this one time, and it nearly drove me crazy. I had 3 bantam hens that shared a nest and hatched out 5 standard eggs. That was fun. They were great moms and kept their babies safe. At the same time, I had a Black Austrolorp and she hatched out 3 chicks. She to was a great mom. The problem I had was the bantam moms did not like the other chicks around their chicks. The BA was very good and allowed all the chicks to play together. So, I had the BA going after the Bantam hens for going after her chicks. It all ended up ok and in a few weeks the bantams went to roosting at night and all the babies slept with the BA at night. So, it all worked out, but drove me and I think the BA hen crazy.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It totally depends on the hens. Some can share and some cannot. If one hen can take care of the chicks, I'd let one and break the other from being broody or give her some eggs. If one hen cannot take all the chicks, I'd try it but be very ready to keep the two families separated if necessary or brood the excess chicks myself.

 

[kimthom66]

 

[Silkie's Grandma]

I have had hens set in the same box & I arranged the eggs so that the hatch dates were all due at the same time. Last year I had 2 Blue hens that hatched a mix of Blue & splash chicks, no problem both hens tended all the chicks (kept seperated from the rest of the flock until the chicks were about a month old & well bonded to moms & eating good) This year I had a Blue & a red hen that decided to share a box & eggs. It was very cold here during the brooding & the hatch was stagered over 4 days. I removed the Blue hen (older/experienced mom) & gave her the 1st 2 chicks so they could get started on feeding (both were splash chicks) when the remainder of the chicks hatched (all blues), I put the red hen in with the blue hen & all babies back together. For reasons I haven't figgured out, (about 5 days later) the red hen killed one of the splash babies & tried to kill the other one. Even though SHE is the one that hatched them, the 2 day gap must have caused her to "forget" or I am thinking possibly it is because they were a different color then "her" babies (she -the red hen, was a 1st time mom) In the end I removed the red hen from the pen & the Blue mama has the remainder of the babies - NO problems.

These chickens were all the same breed, just different colors. I assume chickens see colors, as other birds do. (anyone know for sure?) It would account for the red hens attack of the "different" babies.

 

[Freebie]

Quote:
I forgot to add, that I would not do that again. It did drive me crazy with worry, and had Sydney not been such and awesome mama hen... things I am sure would have turned out much different.

 

[Chickenaddict]

I had 2 hens share a nest once, they are still til this day inseprable however the hatch was a nightmare. The first chick hatched and the other hen came and stole the chick from the other and killed it. Because they are such good buddies the one hen didn't defend her chick. I ended up kicking the hen that killed the chick out of the brooder. I do NOT reccomnd it.

 

[basicliving]

I have to agree with the posters that say don't do it. I have heard some say they have never had any problems with two broodies with chicks together - but I can tell you it did not work well for me. My two broodies almost killed each other the first day after they hatched the biddies - and like to have trampled the babies in the process. I had to build two separate pens in the coop to keep each with their own babies in. After about 2 weeks they were fine. But I believe they would have fought to the death right after the babies hatched.