Broody hen help, please!

[GirlThursday]

Please forgive me for not reading the whole broody hen thread - 99 pages of messages was a little overwhelming when I didn't even know if it would have my answers!

I had two Java hens go broody a few days apart. Based on friends' advice, I let them try to set on their eggs right in the coop with the other chickens. I fear that was a mistake - all the jostling around when other hens would try to lay their eggs cracked a bunch. A few were not viable. Only two hatched on Saturday. Only one survived... but I found that poor peep dead this morning

When that chick hatched, the hen who had gone broody a few days after the first abandoned her nest and went to mother that baby - so the one peep had two mamas, and if her remaining egg was viable, well, it was abandoned several days before it would have hatched.

I tried introducing a few peeps from the feed store to them yesterday, wondering if the broody instinct was that strong in them, maybe they'd take foreign babies. But they were pretty stressed out when I brought the chicks near them, and ignored them. I currently have those four peeps brooding in the house. They are about 1 week old.

I checked in on my girls a few minutes ago, and see that both mama hens are now setting on all the eggs that were laid so far today.

So, I'm torn about what to do - let them set on another clutch (but separate them from the rest of the flock this time)? That seems like it would be hard on their bodies, letting them set for six weeks straight. Try to introduce the store bought peeps to them again today? Separate them from the nest to try to break their broody cycle? WWYD?

Thank you!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum!

Glad you joined us!

Don't feel bad about not reading that whole thread. There is a whole lot of information available but it can be overwhelming for someone new to the forum. There is a search feature that can be very useful but I don't always find what I'm looking for either.

Broodies have been hatching and raising chickens with the flock for thousands of year, but there are risks. Seems like you found a lot of them. Instead of a 99 page thread, you might check my post in this thread. I think it has some information that might help you.

Isolate a Broody? Thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=213218

What would I do in your circumstances? I'm not sure what your goals are. You have some options.

First, I'd separate the broodies. Some people are very successful letting two or more work together to hatch and raise the chicks, but sometimes bad things can happen. One hen may kill the chicks that are under the other hen. That may have happened with yours. One abandoning her nest when she hears the others hatching also happens. Not a lot, but it does happen. It is also possible the two got into a fight over which one was going to take care of the chick and the chick got hurt in that fight. As I said, some people are successful with two broodies, but I am not real comfortable with that situation.

Most hens can handle being broody for six or seven weeks. If they are weak to start with, they could have a problem. Another potential problem is that if you have roost mites, they can really weaken or even kill a broody hen. I'd suggest you check her fot roost mites after dark. They only come out at night and will run from light, but if you check her vent area, you should be able to see them if they are there. A broody hen does not have a clock to tell her when to stop brooding, but it is always possible one could stop at any time. Or they might go on for a few months. You never can tell.

You can try putting those chicks under one broody at night so whe wakes up with them. At a week old, she may or may not accept them when she wakes up with them. But then she might decide to kill them. Again, you can never tell. It is not an easy choice. But if you do try it, try it with only one broody. Personally, I would try it but I sure do not guarantee you what the results will be.

You can give some fresh eggs to one, but with the problems you've had, I would definitely separate her. Lock her in an area with a nest, food and water, and room to go poop. Lock the other hens out. She may break from being broody when you move her, but then she might not. I find moving her at night with as little light and commotion as possible to work best. It also helps if her new nest is a little dark. It does not have to be pitch black, but a little dark helps. If your hatching eggs are valuable, try some fake eggs or less valuable eggs in her new home a day or so to confirm she is really going to stay broody. Collect all you want her to hatch and give them to her at one time so they should all hatch about the same time.

Having a broody is not always a stressful time, but it sounds like you ran into a few things. Good luck however you go. And again,

 

[curdogs]

You could try putting your Brody's in a dog crate and leve them in the coop.

 

[iamsara]

thank you too for all that info!
ive read the threads, at least half lol, and am also first time w a broody hen. shes so crazy and interesting and neat! ive ordered some eggs to be hatched and will give them to her at night.
thanks!!

 

[GirlThursday]

Thank you!

My first idea back when was a dog crate in the coop, but since it's a movable coop, it's quite small. Now that the weather is getting warmer, though, I am considering putting her in a dog crate on the porch. I have two kitty crates - small enough for nesting, should be sufficient if she's opened up every morning to get out and move around shouldn't it be? I will check them for mites tonight, then let them have new eggs in the morning if they're clean. My eggs aren't particularly valuable, just mutt eggs from my little flock. I would be horrified if I gave the store-bought peeps to one of the mamas, and she killed them

I've become resigned to the fact that they're fragile as all get out and will die if you look at them wrong... but that feels too intentionally risky to me.