4 broody hens

[two j farm]

I have 4 broody hens one hens eggs should be hatching in a few days the other one in about a week the other two just went broody in the last few days. My question, is it ok to leave them all in the pen with the other chickens? I have hatched eggs in the pen before with no problem. I just worried about the other broody hens when chicks start running around.

 

[sylviethecochin]

They'll be fine. Isolate them for a few days right after they hatch--it'll give them a bit to work out who mommy is and what her clucks mean and then they should be fine with the rest of the flock. Hens don't like chicks, but they won't bother the hormonal monste--mother. I mean 'mother.' Roosters usually don't bother chicks at all and often are quite fond of them.
Sometimes, the momma makes enemies by attacking everything in sight and there will be some truly epic barnyard battles. I usually isolate for a few more weeks if that happens, but I've never actually had a chick injured in the battles. stepped on, yes, injured, no.
Broody hens will peck at each other's chicks, but the chicks soon work out whom to avoid.

 

[two j farm]

Thanks for your reply. I know I've never had problems with chicks in the pen I have 5 chicks now in the pen that I hatched. I kept them caged up for a few weeks with them a now all is fine. I really don't want to do that with the new ones and mama's because their is so many of them and I don't have enough cages to do that. I will just keep my eye on them and go from there. Thanks

 

[sylviethecochin]

You're welcome--I'm ashamed to admit that I only know because I'm too lazy to find my bantams until they march back into the yard with a trail of cheeping babies. Then I hurry up and isolate for a bit, because my survival rate tends towards a hundred percent when I do that, and I lose some when I don't.