2 hens going broody

[Newfarmer36]

I walked out to let my chickens out and check for eggs. I have 3 laying boxes and I have 2 hens in 1 box that's trying to lay on the eggs that were laid this morning. They're climbing on top of one another. And they're taking the eggs away from one another and trying to stuff them underneath themselves. I sat back and watched for a minute to see if 1 would just go into another box but that didn't happen. I don't know how to do the incubator thing and i think it would be neat to witness chicks hatching so I want to leave them be but I'm afraid that if I go in there and pull 1 of the chickens out and put them in another box with an egg, that they'd get scared and run off. What do I do?

 

[JaeG]

The most important thing if you do want to incubate eggs under a broody is giving them a marked batch of eggs and removing any extras that your other birds add daily - otherwise you will have chicks hatching and some still developing which will then die when the hen takes her new chicks off the nest to feed and water them. She won't stay and incubate the rest, and neither should she as she's got little ones to take care of.

Two broodies in the same nest is a recipe for broken eggs but sometimes it works. You may need to move one but if they can still see their old nest site they will try to get back there, even if locked in a separate cage - they'll just pace and won't settle. You need to move a chicken at night if you are going to do it and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but don't give them eggs until you are sure they are serious.

First time broodies need watching when it comes to hatch time. Some birds like to sit but don't want to take care of chicks. Some are unsure about what these demanding little things are and can kill the chicks. Some are brilliant mothers. Have a back-up plan just in case it doesn't all go to plan (ie. brooder and heat source).

 

[Welshies]

I would seperate one broody and try it with only one to begin with. Make sure she can see the flock. Remove any eggs that have been recently laid in the nest, or you'll have what's called a "staggered hatch".
Make sure she has constant food and water. Broodies really abuse their bodies while they hatch chicks out.
Some hens smother chicks to death at hatching time, by accident. I had this happen when I had 2 broodies seperated together.
Don't do it.

 

[Jucknath]

Always a challenge. Good Luck

 

[Newfarmer36]

Thank y'all for the responses! It's all very helpful!

 

[Welshies]

No problem! Best of luck.

 

[aart]

I walked out to let my chickens out and check for eggs. I have 3 laying boxes and I have 2 hens in 1 box that's trying to lay on the eggs that were laid this morning. They're climbing on top of one another.

Hard to say if this is really broody behavior or just some nest 'sharing'.

I don't call 'broody' until bird stays on nest 22 out of 24 hours for 3 days running, as well as other behaviors like 'pancaking', growling, biting, broody clucking, etc.

If you do have a broody, then:

You'll need to decide if you want her to hatch out some chicks, and how you will 'manage' it.
Do you have, or can you get, some fertile eggs?
Do you have the space needed? She may need to be separated by wire from the rest of the flock.
Do you have a plan on what to do with the inevitable males? Rehome, butcher, keep in separate 'bachelor pad'?
If you decide to let her hatch out some fertile eggs, this is a great thread for reference and to ask questions.
It a long one but just start reading the first few pages, then browse thru some more at random.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop with fed and water

I let her out a couple times a day(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two.

Feed and water added after pic was taken.

 

[Newfarmer36]

Thank you! Aww!! She's in jail!! Poor thing! Lol