broody conundrum

[Perris]

Eve is a 2 year old experienced broody (has raised 2 broods). She is low in the pecking order, but has been a fantastic mother hen. However, she flies into action like a Tasmanian devil if I interfere while she is on the nest; this has resulted in a broken egg before now, so I've learned to leave her to get on with it. I put 10 eggs under her. The following day Aneka, a pullet, went broody for the 1st time, sitting in a separate but nearby coop. She had laid 3 of the eggs I put under Eve. Apart from a morning off, she has sat solidly on fake eggs for 3 days. So I am tempted to move 2 of Aneka's own eggs from Eve to Aneka, when the opportunity arises, so she gets some real experience and she raises her own chicks, which would reduce Eve's load at the same time. If I don't move some of them, I'll have one broody with a large brood and another with nothing but disappointment, which may bring other troubles. Hence my conundrum.

I have not had two broodies simultaneously before, and I am wondering if the one with experience and demon tendencies (Eve) might try to hurt the novice and/or her chicks if she has any. Ideally, I do not want to segregate either of them from the flock, though I realize that that would be one way to go (I do not have a pen); I would prefer to raise any chicks in the flock.

I would be very grateful for any advice or experience from people who have had simultaneous free ranging broodies.

 

[NatJ]

I have no personal experience, but this article looks like it might be helpful:
https://themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-5.html

 

[Perris]

thanks @NatJ - that's really useful. I will follow their advice and provide some protection for the younger broody if it becomes necessary.

 

[centrarchid]

I am running four broodies now; two confined separately, and two free-range. First and foremost I make certain they have the ability to avoid each other. This means enough cover and places to forage. The two free-range hens at house have same hatch date for broods. One hen is behind house, while other is in front which keeps them separate for now. We currently 7 days post-hatch so broods not very mobile yet. It is during the first couple of weeks I am most concerned about broody hen conflicts that are a danger to chicks. To help keep them apart, we have lots of cover patches and I can put out little feeders in each hens territory.

I can run three free-range broodies in barn if they can be kept separate at roosting time for the first couple of weeks. Barn is 30' x 36" with about 1/3 of that area occupied by pens.

The hens have mechanisms enabling them to avoid each other, but those mechanisms do not work well if choke points force them within a few feet of each other.

Soon two additional broods will be coming off around the house. The older broods will be much more mobile by then and able to range much farther away giving the younger broods less competition.

 

[Perris]

thanks @centrarchid ; that is really useful first hand experience. In light of it I think I shall try to find something to act as an opaque barrier between the two coops before the hatch date (next Saturday for both broods) to divide the territory clearly where they are close. Both will be able to access their own coop without having to run the gauntlet of the other in close visible proximity then. And I'll keep potential choke points in mind when I do it.