Help! Broody hens problem!

[goldysgirl]

Hello! I need the expert advice of the BYC community! I have 3 Japanese bantam eggs that are on day 16 today. My little Japanese hen has been sitting on them faithfully for all sixteen days. Three days ago, one of my large fowl sized silkies decided she wanted to hatch the same eggs. Well, they have been passing them back and forth for a few days and last night I noticed one had a crack two thirds of the length of the egg, no leaking and surface pretry smooth. I patched with paraffin but it melted off quickly under the broody, so I put clear nail polish (yuck chemicals...i know) and a super thin piece of tissue paper on it. The chick is still alive. I separated the Japanese and her eggs last night and she stayed on the eggs until morning, but at sun up began pacing wildly. She does not do well being separated from the flock in the coop or in the run. I don't think she will sit on her eggs and she might break them. Maybe she would do better if I put her in the garage out of sight of the other birds just to get to hatch? Or, should I try to get the other broody to hatch? I don't think she is as flighty, but I am worried that she is too big to sit on the eggs or babies without damaging. When i found the cracked egg, she was on it and there was very little bedding between her and the floor. Any help is appreciated! I don't have an incubator and I work during the day. I was hoping to let the broody hatch and raise. Thanks!

 

[chickens really]

Definitely try anything that might work. Separating the hens was perfect.
I always move my Hens to hatch out in my garage and introduce when chicks are about 5 days old.

 

[goldysgirl]

Thanks for your input! I put the little japanese in the garage with the eggs. Hopefully she will be calm and want to set when the sun comes up. If not, i can always put them under the silkie. She is just so much bigger and i am afraid she will break the eggs or hurt the tiny little babies. When i got my day old japanese they were the tiniest chicks I had ever seen! I was hoping both broodies could mother them because i don't think the little japanese would be able to protect chicks from the flock. She is low in the pecking order.

 

[NNYchick]

Thanks for your input! I put the little japanese in the garage with the eggs. Hopefully she will be calm and want to set when the sun comes up. If not, i can always put them under the silkie. She is just so much bigger and i am afraid she will break the eggs or hurt the tiny little babies. When i got my day old japanese they were the tiniest chicks I had ever seen! I was hoping both broodies could mother them because i don't think the little japanese would be able to protect chicks from the flock. She is low in the pecking order.

Oh don’t underestimate a hens ability to protect her chicks, unless 2 broody are involved. Size doesn’t really matter with broody, at least in my experience. My Seramas keep the silkies on their toes even when not broody. My little serama chases the young cockerels all around the yard when the start getting randy. I have had serama raise silkie chicks and silkies raise serama chicks with no issues.
I do agree the 2 hens need to be separated, I’ve had them fight over chicks and kill the chicks in the process. If you want the Japanese to raise the chicks and she won’t tolerate being moved try moving the silkie to the garage to break her. I’ve never had luck getting a broody to move from the nest till a few chicks hatch and their chirping calls hen back to them. But every hen is different.
Good luck and happy hatching.

 

[goldysgirl]

Oh don’t underestimate a hens ability to protect her chicks, unless 2 broody are involved. Size doesn’t really matter with broody, at least in my experience. My Seramas keep the silkies on their toes even when not broody. My little serama chases the young cockerels all around the yard when the start getting randy. I have had serama raise silkie chicks and silkies raise serama chicks with no issues.
I do agree the 2 hens need to be separated, I’ve had them fight over chicks and kill the chicks in the process. If you want the Japanese to raise the chicks and she won’t tolerate being moved try moving the silkie to the garage to break her. I’ve never had luck getting a broody to move from the nest till a few chicks hatch and their chirping calls hen back to them. But every hen is different.
Good luck and happy hatching.

Thanks for the advice! All three eggs have hatched! I ended up putting the Japanese in a crate in the garage at night and she calmed right down. 2 chicks hatched early am on day 20. The third chick was noted to have pipped with the other ones, but over 24 hours later it had not zipped, but it had made a second pip next to the first one. I waited a while longer, but nothing happened. I opened the shell up some over the air cell and put it back under the hen. I went to bed and woke up the next morning and I thought the chick was dead. It wasn't cheeping and the membranes were dry. I wet the membranes and started removing shell. The chick started cheeping and pushing as I peeled away shell. I kept peeling back shell until it was about 2/3 off and stretched the membrane a little and the little chick wiggled free. I was so happy that it was lively and looked healthy! The chick had been stuck to the section of membrane that was under the crack made by the big hen.The membrane there was really dry and thick and I think that is why the chick couldn't get out.

 

[NNYchick]

Congratulations. I’m glad everything worked out.

 

[Perris]

great news! and well done for saving the third!

 

[goldysgirl]

The new babies! I can't even tell which one had the crack in the egg. They are doing great!