Broody question.

[longranger]

I have a broody hen who is raising three poults that are now about 3 weeks. Excellent natural turkey mom. Just hatched 6 poults today that had to be pulled from a nest because 2 hens were starting to fight over them as they were pipping. Would the mom and older poults likely accept the newcomers or is that too much of an age difference. Lazy me wants to avoid an emergency broody coop build.

Alternatively I could do the new broody area build and give these poults back to one of the Turkey hens that incubated the eggs. What do you all think??

 

[RAREROO]

I think you should give them to one of the hens that originally inbubated them. I wouldnt try to let the one with the older chicks have them, she may accept them, but I think they would kinda get left behind if she did.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

I wouldn't mix 3 week and day olds. Get busy building

Steve

 

[ziggywiggy]

I think it's too much of an age difference. A few days is OK but, not weeks. I've always had the same problem when more than one hen sets a nest. Right at hatching time they start fighting. I did however, do what Rareroo said and gave them to one of the hens that hatched them. If there's an age difference, I'd go with the older hen. The other hen might even try to keep setting and you can put more eggs under her-even chicken eggs.

 

[longranger]

Thanks for the advice. Guess my little ones deserve to be raised by their real momma. Looks like not much sleep tonight. Saw drill cut till it's done and make the transfer tommorow. Brood the new babies untill then. Luckily have an empty brooder ready for the wee ones untill tomorrow.

 

[ziggywiggy]

Quote:
One thing. Just watch her real close when you make the transfer because she might start pacing trying to get back to her nest. I usually move the hen I don't want to raise the poults, place the poults back in the nest with the other hen and then after about 24 hours I move her to the brooding pen. Then I let the other hen back in with the nest and if she keeps setting I add more eggs if I have any. Hope that makes since.
Now for the real monkey wrench in the equation. The safest thing to do is raise them yourself.

 

[longranger]

I plan to build a brooding pen that will fit cleanly over the top to the oversized nest box. Will remove the other hen before putting in the babes. Have one setup like this. Not elegant but gets them big enough to go to a larger coop in a few weeks and keeps momma calm, hopefully.

 

[ziggywiggy]

Quote:
Sounds like you know exactly what your doing. I never would have thought of putting a pen over the nest. Good idea.

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

Off topic, but i have to share this! I too have a broody hen raising 3, 3 week old poults. I went to check on them and they were all on the roost. 2 to the side of her and one on top of her body! It was the coolest thing!