Help please...2 broodies in the same coop.

[Tony]

I have a china gamefowl and a phoenix hen both brooding, due to both hatch in the next few days. (they decided to brood within a day of eachother). They ARE in different nest boxes, not brooding together in the same box. When and if all goes well, will they be ok raiseing their young in the same coop. The coop is 4` wide x 8`long. Also, the roo is still in the coop with them. He`s a china game roo. should I remove him? Or will he help to raise the young. He has the tendency to try feeding his hens whenever there is food. he picks it up and drops in front of them before he eats anything. Thanks, Tony

 

[jasonbennett1]

I had two old english game hens do something similiar. They shared a nest and even sat together. Once the chicks hatched the more dominant hen ran the other off and took all the babies herself. This may happen here once all the hatching is done and the hens/chicks all come down from the nest boxes. The chicks will all start mixing together and the more dominant hen will probably end up taking them all. That roo won't stand a chance either. He'll be in someone's way no matter where he is and will get a mad hen on him for his trouble.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
This would be my bet, too, though people report various outcomes. In the old days, the chickens would be allowed to work it out themselves. Maybe the roo will feed the chicks.... When my new mother was killed, her two sisters (that is, the two other Kraienkoppes) took over the mothering. I've never had your breeds.

If it were me I'd leave them alone, just to see what happened. Your choice, of course.

 

[LoveMyBirds]

Quote:
I have Silver Pheonix and have couple stories on my brood back in March..

1) I had 2 Sil Phen. setting on the same nest, being cold weather only 3 little chicks hatched.. Both mothers were taking care of them as one.. No fighting with either..

2) I had another SPhen. setting in a different room.. So when her 5 hatched I ran her and her five into the other room with the 2 other hens... DO NOT DO THAT.... did they fight.. OUCH..

So I ran them back of course..

3) After a few days and on a warmer day around 38-44 roughly I let the hens out to see what the Roos would do and my BRed turkeys.

No problem there with my group.. The Roos ran over started scratching like the hens were doing.. (jr. look what daddy has)

So I would say keep an eye on them at first to see what the reaction will be... When I ran that 3rd hen in.. I could tell right off that they were not gong to get along.. If you sense a problem step in quickly..

Good luck

 

[CUDA]

If you have real china games, that are game like they should be, I would separate them all. Pull the rooster now, and when the hens hatch, separate them and their chicks into their own pen. There are too many problems that can come up to risk doing anything other than that imo.

 

[Tony]

Only the phoenix has hatched chicks so far, I had to remove an extra phoenix hen from the coop because she was attacking the chicks, the china roo is still in there with the 2 broodies. He`s not at all interested in the chicks, he just keeps away from them when they come out with the mother. These ARE real china games btw. thanks all

 

[CUDA]

Well, keep in mind that it isn't uncommon for cocks to kill young males once they start looking like stags if they are game...