3 broodys on one clutch?

[Mjismom]

This is my first time having a rooster. We have six hens. One hen became broody and started laying on a clutch a couple weeks ago and now it seems like 2 more have become broody and they are all squeezing into the nesting box to sit on that same clutch. Is this normal?

Unfortunately, I started finding a few eggs on the ground and thought maybe the other hens were laying them on the ground since we only have 2 nesting boxes but nope - a couple of them had growing chicks. I don’t know if they were purposely kicked out or accidentally since the hens are trying to squeeze in there. I have now bought a candler and plan to check them. And maybe just put any I find on the ground back under them in case they survived?

Just wondering if there’s anything I’m missing. Thank you!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You should remove two hens, and break them from being broody for the best success. Often when multiple hens set they get confused and they can sometimes attack and kill hatching chicks because they are under the hen next to them. Also as you are seeing it can cause chaos in the nest and eggs get broken or eaten.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I would discard any eggs you find on the ground. You don't know how long they've been there, and they've probably gotten chilled and are no longer viable. Also if a hen kicks an egg out of the nest, often it's because she knows it's a dud.

Have you marked the eggs she started with so you don't get a staggered hatch? Once she has chicks she will take them off the nest to begin teaching them how to be chickens and will abandon any unhatched eggs.