A broody and a momma sharing a nest. Any experience with this?

[nickie]

I had a hen hatch out 5 poults around May 10. At first she kept them in a safe little cubby hidden away from everyone else. A few days ago I caught her the nest that occupies the brooding stall where she is with another hen on her eggs. Babies are snuggled up under both of them and in the open space in the tire (nest is a 33 inch mudder tire that was left here by the previous owners of the house). Everyone seemed content, but a bit cramped. Eggs are still going strong, due to hatch around May 31. Current poults are healthy and growing like weeds. When both hens are up they tend to stick close together and watch the youngins as a team.

My question is if anyone has experience with this sort of situation? I was worried the eggs would be abandoned when the broody took to the poults, but so far that has not been the case. She isn't sitting quite as tight these past few days, but it has also been in the upper 80* range and I've noticed that none of the broodies (currently 3 on eggs and then momma) have been on the nests as tight as they were when the temps were in the 60's and 70's. What should I expect when the shared eggs start to hatch? Will both mothers raise both sets of poults?

I'm watching the situation closely, but if anyone has any warnings or words of advice I would love to hear them. Thanks a bunch.

 

[sourland]

I would be tempted to move the original hen and 5 poults to another area. The other hen may very well abandon her eggs.

 

[nickie]

I would be tempted to move the original hen and 5 poults to another area. The other hen may very well abandon her eggs.

That is a concern of mine too, but I don't have another area to move her to. I wasn't expecting 4 of 5 turkeys to go broody at the exact same time. See what I get for thinking I had it all figured out? Right now she is still sitting, and at last check the eggs looked ready to go at any point yesterday. I'm hoping she can keep on it until that happens. Then my second concern comes into play: How will original momma do with more little ones running around? sheesh

 

[ButchGood]

Very interesting. Keep us posted. I'd like to know if they will be team mates throughout the brooding process. Now That Would Be Cool!

 

[nickie]

I will absolutely keep everyone posted. I'm still flabergasted about it.

 

[ColbyNTX]

Very interesting! I think the hens will stay with the eggs. They can tell there are babies moving around in those eggs. I think once they hatch, both hens will look after both clutches as their own.

 

[nickie]

Well, yesterday the original momma decided that mothering wasn't her schtick. She left the babies with broody and never came back to them, even roosted last night. Broody is raising 5 poults at 2 weeks old AND still on her nest. I checked a few eggs last night, but didn't get all of them since I want to tread lightly around her and the nest that I do not want abandoned at this point. A few of the poults are in the air cell and we are in the final phase! During her leg stretch this morning there were no pips yet, but I am pretty sure that will happen today. Keep your fingers crossed for those little guys today please, they are coming into the world in a strange situation and I have a feeling they are going to need all the luck they can get.

 

[nickie]

this was taken a few days ago. There were 5 babies, 16 eggs, and 2 turkeys in that nest.

 

[nickie]

Alright, here is an update for anyone interested: Original momma will help and hang out with her babies as long as they follow her while she is doing whatever she wants to do (I have unkindly named her crack momma). Super broody hatched out 10 of her 16 eggs, but lost 2 along the way. She has been doing such an amazing job I decided to see what she would do with the 4 poults I had from my first hatch out of the incubator (May 5). Last night I put one in and she didn't react, so I went ahead and put them all in. At lockup I peeked in on everyone and I had crack momma (who has decided mothering is so easy she is going to do it again) in her new nest with one of her babies, random turkey who has yet to go broody perching with one of crack momma's babies under each wing, and super broody in her hiding spot with her 8 babies, 2 of crack momma's, and all 4 garage poults under her. I can't believe she accepted poults that are a month old! That lovely lady has a home here until she dies a natural death in her old age.

 

[callieisspooky]

Thanks for the update! You have one super broody there!