2 hens sharing a nest?

[RedfogsFlock]

I have a leghorn, and a RIR that have been layin in the same nest. The other day I went to collect eggs, & the leghorn was sittin on the clutch makin velasa raptor noises at me, so I just left the eggs. lol

Then later that day I went in to try and collect eggs again, and this time the RIR was on the nest, & needless to say she bit the Cr@*p out of me! So now in the mornings is my leghorn, and the afternoons the RIR. Is it normal for two hens to share a clutch?

 

[PortageGirl]

Yup. Can be. But if they're leaving the nest for long, they aren't actually broody... Just because they're growling at you doesn't mean they're really broody. Are either or both leaving the nest at night to roost?

 

[pennie1]

I have 2 hens right at this moment that are setting on some eggs (18 was the starting number). 1 chick started to hatch and died. I wasn't sure if they had killed it or not so I took 12 of the eggs and stuck them in an incubator. Today the first 3 hatched in the incubator and I went out to check the hens and I saw 2 little heads pop out. I put my 3 under them (with somewhat (true understatement) of a fight and very heavy gloves). They broke 1 of the remaining eggs that they had in this process but accepted my chicks readily. I wasn't able to get the broken egg out because of their collective nasty attitudes. But they are sharing all responsibilities and have worked out a system so that they can each get out and stretch and eat. I can hardly wait for them to bring the babies out. They also share this tiny little brooding box with a tiny little cochin hen. Should be interesting to see what happens.

Do your hens put their heads down and puff up to about 4 x's their size? I know some of my hens will set in a box for almost a whole day and then jump down, and I have had another one wait for that particular box no matter how long it takes. But they are not broody.
I also have a RIR that is broody as all h@#$, but will only set on one box for about 3 days and then move to another one whether their are eggs in it or not.

Are their lower breast feathers gone? That's another sign of broodiness.

I with you a lot of luck with your girls.

 

[darkmatter]

Yes, broodys will share a nest and share the chicks, I've had a double motherhen for 3 chicks once that kept running back and forth to each motherhen.

 

[imtc]

I have 2 hens that do that all the time. Both sit in the nest together at the same time. I let them hatch out a couple eggs the last time and they would constantly fight over who's body they got to tuck it under.

 

[Megs]

i had a bad experiance when i let two hens sit on nests side by side, they egg swapped. and when chicks hatched they fought and stomped them to death

never again.

 

[RedfogsFlock]

Well the only time I've seen the nest empty is during the heat of the day from 3 to about 4:30 when it reaches 110 out and prolly 130 in the coop nestin boxes. Otherwise there is ALWAYS one on the nest. I have a duck that is broody, and is already sittin on 12 eggs & their clutch has 16 eggs in it.

Well they are both missing chest feathers, I thought it was caused from them sitting under the misters all day. Yes they both flatten out their bodies, it's quite amazing actually, lol. But at night the RIR sits the nest from about 4:30 till morning. Then the leghorn gets on the nest & absolutely will not move till the heat of the day! My husband jokes around about how they seem to melt over the eggs when they sit on it. lol

I'm not thinking that either one is totally broody, cuz my duck is and WOW! I think the leghorn gets bored with sitting the nest really & the RIR takes over. The RIR keeps layin eggs in the nest still. So what I've done is mark all the eggs, and everyday I go out and remove the ones with no X's on them. That way I know they're fresh.

I just wasn't sure if they could work it out or not.

 

[pennie1]

It CAN be done!!!!! After much worry because of my own dilemma here are the proud mama's and 1 of their offspring.

Everything worked out fine as you can see. As some hatch in the incubator I keep slipping them under the 2 proud girls and they just keep taking them in. A home for the homeless you might say.

 

[BCB]

We've currently got 7 cochin hens and about 15 chicks from a shared nest. A few more are hatching. They all went broody within a week of each other.

 

[Betsy57]

I went out to the coop this morning and two hens were crammed in the same nest. First time I've seen this. Went back a bit later, and two eggs for me! Maybe they're just super duper pals or one didn't want to leave so the other one could use the nest next. Funny!