2 broodies with chicks, same coop

[1TurkenLover]

The way I see it if they are going to sit on them and hatch them out for me Im going to let them raise them. I know Chickens dont have feelings like us but I still feel like it is wrong to get the hen to sit on the eggs for 21 days and then steal all her hard work from her.

#1 Can Multiple hens be in same Run/Brooder to raise there chicks ?
#2 1. Banty Hen Able to Hatch Raise How many Banty eggs ? is it even Possible to hatch 12 eggs raise 12 chick's ?
#3 Might be able to separate with Wire, the 100 gal Brooder. then I could move 2 hens. the night after chicks hatch out.

 

[jynxx]

Hi, I have one hen with 8 newly hatched chicks. At what age do I introduce them all to the flock of 4 hens and one rooster? The hen was part of the flock before she hatched her eggs. They are all free range when I let them our of their coop.

 

[1TurkenLover]

The way I see it if they are going to sit on them and hatch them out for me Im going to

I have 2 new moms in the same coop right now here is how i solved the problem with the babies getting confused and going to the wrong mom and getting pecked. hopefully in a week or 2 I will be able to take it down and they will be fine.
View attachment 1032052
also here is a short video of them so far its working out great and the wire is just held up with a few zip ties. Each of them have 4 chicks.

#1 Can Multiple hens be in same Run/Brooder to raise there chicks ?
#2 1. Banty Hen Able to Hatch Raise How many Banty eggs ? is it even Possible to hatch 12 eggs raise 12 chick's ?
#3 Might be able to separate with Wire, the 100 gal Brooder. then I could move 2 hens. the night after chicks hatch out.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Hi, I have one hen with 8 newly hatched chicks. At what age do I introduce them all to the flock of 4 hens and one rooster? The hen was part of the flock before she hatched her eggs. They are all free range when I let them our of their coop.

My broody nested on the floor, so the chicks interacted with the flock as soon as the mom left the nest to wander around the coop (a day or two after the last egg hatch).

 

[HUGHES555]

#1 So far mine have been fine together. i just had to put up a divider so the chicks wouldnt go to the wrong mom and get pecked.
#2 12 maybe a little to much for a bantam but ive never let a bantam do more than 4 at a time.
#3 That should work.

 

[HUGHES555]

My broody nested on the floor, so the chicks interacted with the flock as soon as the mom left the nest to wander around the coop (a day or two after the last egg hatch).

Mine just hatched out some silkies so i divided them from the rest of the coop with some hardware cloth because of the size difference and then I divided the moms because the chicks would go to the wrong mom and get pecked. As soon as they get a little bigger I will remove the hardware cloth. There shouldnt be any problems because the rest of the flock has been able to see them the whole time.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

It looks like the two broodies are going to share the 4 chicks. Sometimes one broody will shelter all 4, then take 3 off for free ranging while the other broody shelters and nurtures the new chick.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

It's interesting. One of the broodies is dominant and occasionally runs the other broody off. But then the first will wander off with the 3 older chicks, and the other broody will take care of the young chick (barely 2 days old now). I suspect this will continue until the young chick gets old and strong enough to run with her siblings and the dominant hen. Then the submissive broody will probably move on and start running with the flock. Really interesting how they work together.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Dominant broody with her 3 chicks

Other broody with her 2-day-old chick. Notice her puffed out look.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

All 4 chicks are sleeping under the dominant broody on the floor tonight. The other broody is in the nest above them.