Broody quit the nest.

[fishin-nole]

My first maran hatched her chick 3 weeks ago and the other broody maran quit her egg on Monday. The chick flew over the 3' wire to be with mama and the broody went too and would not go back in till dark. I took down the wire. The egg should have hatched Wed. or Thurs. So I guess it is dead. It was a blue ameraucana and a speckled Sussex roo cross mutt to be. The chick is a black copper maran and the same roo.

 

[iwiw60]

So what you're saying is you separated that new chick from the first broody? Why? I'd just let them stay together til the mother broody tells the chick it's time to go your own way...too bad about that second broody leaving the nest.

 

[fishin-nole]

No, The first hen and her chick went out in the pen and the other setting broody went out too and would not go back to her egg. Now she thinks the chick is her's. I have them separated from the other adult chickens. Here's the chick.

 

[iwiw60]

What a sweetie that little chick is! Okay, is there any way you can put another new chick under that second broody to calm her down? Know of anyone who might have some newborns? Just thinking. Other than that you may have to 'break' that second broody, which in my mind would be a shame. I've always been of the thought that if you have a determined broody on your hands, take advantage of it and let her run her course. Better the mama hen taking care of the whole thing than we human mamas having to go through the brooder box craziness, eh?!!

 

[fishin-nole]

Screwed up the edit. A better pic of the chick, look at the tail feathers.
No access to another chick. Both hen's seem happy sharing. I only did this to see what the mutt would look like.LOL.