Broodies side-by-side?

[Morrigan]

Great update. It's nice that you had those extra coops.

 

[Mtchickenlady87]

Two broody hens have chosen side-by-side nesting boxes. They are the same age (7 months), same clutch, Bresse. Didn't want to hatch from them just yet, but it is what it is. Hatch is due Oct 4-5, and 7-9.

The only time I had more than one broody hatching at the same time, in close proximity, the 3 of them tried to kill each other once chicks hatched. Since then, I incubate. So I'm skeptical and clueless....

Can this work, really? Or should I separate them now, and risk one abandoning her clutch? Or steal all the babies and raise them in a brooder?

Oh it most definitely can. I have Muscovy ducks and turkey hens go broody together, on duck, turkey, Guinea and chicken eggs. Because no one will mess with those girls. In a goat igloo, and a spare dog crate! They did beautifully!! Sometimes the young moms are great, sometimes not so much, sometimes older girls are bad sometimes not so much, just gotta have a back up plan no matter what if you let them try!

 

[chickenlover8969]

separate them now and get it over with this happend to me a few years back. I did not think much of it but one hen killed some of the other chicks. After I discovered them. I moved all of the chicks into a brooder. If you have another coop put one of them in it.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

separate them now and get it over with this happend to me a few years back. I did not think much of it but one hen killed some of the other chicks. After I discovered them. I moved all of the chicks into a brooder. If you have another coop put one of them in it.

Already done

 

[chickenlover8969]

Already done

Awesome good luck with your chicks. Do you know what breed they are.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Awesome good luck with your chicks. Do you know what breed they are.

The broodies and their rooster are American Bresse. However, some of the eggs (hatching now) are from my mixed Heritage breeds flock. There are a few white heritage hens in the mixed flock, so I won't be sure about white chicks (Bresse or mutts) for a few weeks.

 

[Bolfreak]

Oh it most definitely can. I have Muscovy ducks and turkey hens go broody together, on duck, turkey, Guinea and chicken eggs. Because no one will mess with those girls. In a goat igloo, and a spare dog crate! They did beautifully!! Sometimes the young moms are great, sometimes not so much, sometimes older girls are bad sometimes not so much, just gotta have a back up plan no matter what if you let them try!

@Mtchickenlady87 how does this work out? I have a mixed flock (turkeys, ducks, geese) that free range all day, at night inside my barn. The waterfowl are in a stall with straw and turkeys roost all over. My 8 month old Narr hen has been laying eggs ~2 months with some shell-less and double yolkers but fertile. My Cayugas lay an egg a day each in the same nest in their stall. Turkey found the nest and has been laying an egg in there every other dayish but I’ve been removing them. Yesterday and today, though, my turkey has been sitting, so I think she’s committed. There’s 15 duck eggs in there at last count. I figured it’d be ok for a turkey to mother ducks vs the other way around, but is this a thing beyond hatching them? I prefer natural incubating and raising if possible, I’ve messed up the incubator process and am leery.
This is her first lay/sit experience, but she was raised here by her mom and is very bossy, so I’m not worried about her getting picked on or pushed off the nest.