Another broody hen question.

[Mvan42]

I am not sure if this is where I should post this but here goes. I have a second hen trying to go broody. I have no where to separate her. I have a second coop with a broody hatching yesterday. I have a dog kennel inside with two week old chicks. We are currently building a bigger coop and may be able to get the brooder in there built this weekend. My question is is it safe to let her set in the main coop for a week before moving her to a different space or will it be better to wait. I took the 5 eggs she was sitting on yesterday and she gave me this sad look. It made me feel bad. She has been trying for a couple of weeks to set and we keep taking the eggs. She gets up and doesn’t go back until there are a few eggs in the nest box. (Not setting all the time only when she get a chance ).

What should I do. I am over run with chicks but don’t want her not to have the chance to set. She is only a year old. Her sister is hatching the chicks now.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You might benefit from reading my post in this thread. I know it is long but I try to give some reasons why I do things my way.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/hatching-eggs.1309313/

My test if a broody hen deserves eggs to hatch is that she spends two consecutive nights on the nest instead of roosting in her normal spot. Has your second broody passed that test or is she still undecided?

I have had problems with two hens being broody at the same time. When the first broody started to hatch the second tried to take over the nest. In the fight some eggs were destroyed. So now if a second hen goes broody I break her instead of giving her eggs. But your first is isolated so you have the option. Plenty of others on here give the second broody eggs and things work out fine even when they both hatch with the flock instead of being isolated, but I haven't had good luck with that.

Since you want the second one to hatch I suggest you select a few sacrificial eggs. Mark them and put them under your undecided hen. See if she passes the two consecutive night test. Leave it like that until you finish that brooder, then try to move her, using those sacrificial eggs. If she accepts the move you can toss those eggs and give her new ones all started at the same time. If you are happy with the way she has incubated those first eggs you can just leave them, your choice.

Either way it will not hurt her to sit on a nest a few days or even a week or more before she gets eggs to start incubating.

 

[Soto Hobby Farm]

My broody hen always set on her eggs in the main barn. I’d move her the week to a more secluded shelter at that time and every went well.

My neighbor has also let her broody set right in the barn and hatch there as well. I’ve heard mother hens are usually very good at protecting their young if there aren’t too many at one time.

Good luck!

 

[Mvan42]

Thanks, I may let her try they both are the same age and the first one is doing great (as far as I have seen) taking care of the chicks that have hatched. So I think the second one will also. Maybe I will let her try with the flock to see how that works. I can always remove the chicks if there seems to be a problem. I also can leave her is the coop after we move the rest to the bigger one. Hopefully within a few more weeks we will have it finished. I plan on integrating the new mama (the one with chicks now) to the flock slowly after the chicks are at least a week old. (Letting her have the option to take them out into the yard in the evenings while the flock is out also.

One other question, could I if I decide it isn’t safe for the second broody hen to put her and her eggs in the smaller hutch with the first one and her chicks? Would it be safe to do that.

 

[Soto Hobby Farm]

Yes I think that would be fine. I think they’ll basically ignore each other as they both tend to their jobs