3 broody hens with newly hatched chick

[TennisFarm]

Hello. I have had 3 broody hens sitting on eggs all at the same time. The eggs are in two places in the coop and they sit on both sets of eggs, and each other. I marked the eggs they are sitting on, and went out today to find a new baby chick. They all 3 are trying to lay on it. This is my first time hatching eggs. Should I move one hen with the baby into a separate coop, and leave the other two to sit on the remaining eggs?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How many eggs are they sitting on? Are they all close to hatching? Multiple setting hens often turns into a big mess unfortunately.

 

[TennisFarm]

How many eggs are they sitting on? Are they all close to hatching? Multiple setting hens often turns into a big mess unfortunately.

I ended up moving one hen with the hatched chick and 4 other eggs that are starting to hatch into their own coop. I left the other 2 broodys where they were on 4 other eggs. They are with the rest of the flock so I don't know what I'll do if the other 4 hatch.

 

[TennisFarm]

I guess I did the right thing, as another hen dug under the fencing and grabbed the other chick that hatched and had a leg pulled off before I could even get to it. Poor baby had to be culled. I made reinforcements so hopefully they can't get in now. Man are they savages :/

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I guess I did the right thing, as another hen dug under the fencing and grabbed the other chick that hatched and had a leg pulled off before I could even get to it. Poor baby had to be culled. I made reinforcements so hopefully they can't get in now. Man are they savages :/

Chickens are descendants of dinosaurs so they can be very viscous. Sorry that happened to a chick. I always like to separate out setting moms so I don't have to worry about it all. Hopefully the rest do okay.