Broody all together?

[wendzgirls]

I have 3 silkie hens that went broody at the same time, and have all continued to stay beside each other (I read recently that this is a mistake).....They have hatched 11 babies last night and today and seem to all be doing fine. The chicks move around from one fluffy butt mom to the next, and the hens seem to be okay with the arrangement today. They all seem to be very motherly towards all the chicks, but I know it is early. Should I just leave them be, letting them all mother the chicks, or will they begin to hurt the ones that they don't think are their chicks? Two have been good mothers in the past, and one not so good (her first hatch, I think--- she abandoned them). Don't really want to separate them, but don't want to go out one morning and find dead babies either. Advice anyone? I also have 4 month old silkies in the pen, and I figure that 3 mothers will protect the babies.

 

[poultryfan73]

If i were you id let mother nature do her thing. Mayby since the one hen it was her first time rearing chicks she didnt know what to do? Id give her another chance... if she doesnt do a good job i bet the other two will take care of them.

 

[wendzgirls]

Thanks, I usually go with mother nature's way of things. I usually try to tell myself, what would happen if I wasn't in the picture? Just would like to see others experience with this situation, since I've only had chickens for about a year now. Always willing to learn and listen to those that have much more experience than me.

 

[wendzgirls]

Poultryfan 73 Just wanted you to know that we had 10 chicks Sunday, all the moms are "mothering" and everything seems to be fine. Whoopie (my partridge silkie) has always been dominate hen and seems to be very tolerant of the other 2 moms. Let them outside today for sunshine and grass and dirt scratching and they LOVED it. Mother nature at her best!