Broody hen sitting on eggs

[Vconde09]

I have two hens sitting on eggs which are suppose to hatch next weekend.My concern is they are in with the rest of the flock.Should I be concerned that the rest of the flock is gonna kill the chicks when they hatch or will they be okay?

 

[Kellyjenny]

I'm not an expert on broody hens but what I have learned here was to kind of separate them a little from the rest and never have two broody hens in the same area. But I will get a more experienced person to help you. @MGG @Kiki

 

[Chicalina]

Sometimes it works out fine and sometimes it doesn't. If it doesn't, you can have dead chicks.

Balancing risks, I'd always separate and give them their own separate space where the flock can see them for at least a week or two until the chicks have found their feet and can run like Billyo. Then integrate them into the flock with lots of watching and monitoring, and build hidey places and add clutter and extra feed/water stations to your run.

 

[MountainWoman73]

My recent experience was good. My hen hatched her chick in a nest box. I moved them the next morning when he was about 18 hours old to a nest on the floor in a separate area of the coop. By the time he was 3 days old she was taking him outside so the others could see him through the fence, and by the time he was 5 or 6 days she wanted him back in the run with the rest of the flock. I finally let her take him in the run, and everyone seemed to pretty much ignore him. Right now I put them in with everyone during the day and it seems fine. She's a really good mom. We had a hawk scare the other day (it was a raven, not a hawk). All the other hens and my rooster dove under the coop, and instead of hiding, momma hen just flattened herself on top of baby and lay there in the middle of the run.

 

[Kiki]

I have two hens sitting on eggs which are suppose to hatch next weekend.My concern is they are in with the rest of the flock.Should I be concerned that the rest of the flock is gonna kill the chicks when they hatch or will they be okay?

I'd be concerned.
Can you block these two off from the flock and each other?

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

The answer to your question partially depends on the broody's rank in the pecking order. When my broodies first started hatching chicks, i left moms and chicks with the main flock. Some of the more submissive hens had their chicks killed. The more dominant hens did not lose any chicks. I eventually chose to separate All broodies into separate secure areas, once they begin setting on eggs & while they raise their chicks. But some people dont like to do that because reintegrating the hen and chicks back into the flock can be difficult.

Broodies killing another broody's chicks can also be a concern. A special few will even co-raise each others chicks, but some broodies will kill chicks not their own.

 

[Vconde09]

Okay.ill see what I can do.These two hens have been switching back and forth between their eggs so idk If that's a good sign or not.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Switching back and forth on the eggs doesnt predict how they will do with each other's chicks. Though if they are currently in the same nestbox, that at least proves they can tolerate each other's presence. So they Might tolerate each other's chicks. Meaning you will have a pair of very rare broodies!

 

[Vconde09]

I'd be concerned.
Can you block these two off from the flock and each other?

I have a separate coop but I have some older chicks in there that I haven't quite moved into the bigger flock yet.but I think I'm to the point where I can do that cuz my flock has been visiting the older chicks in the what we call the transition coop.once I move them then I can move the broody hens over there.

 

[Vconde09]

Switching back and forth on the eggs doesnt predict how they will do with each other's chicks. Though if they are currently in the same nestbox, that at least proves they can tolerate each other's presence. So they Might tolerate each other's chicks. Meaning you will have a pair of very rare broodies!

I really hope that is the case.they are in nesting boxes right next to each other.