Hen stealing the nest.

[Taralynn07]

My one hen keeps stealing my other hens nest. I am not sure how she kicks the original broody out or if she steals it when the other leaves it but sometimes this is happening multiple times a day. We already had one hen hatch out babies and they are separate but right now we have 2 hens on nests and I don’t think I want to start a 3rd one. Should I split the eggs between the two or what is the best way to handle it? Our separate coop for the babies is small so I don’t know that I want 4 mamas. Not even sure how 2 or three is going to do. Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Splitting the eggs and allowing her to hatch them would make her happy, but you said you don't have room for another chicken family. In that case, it would be better for you to "break" her. This involves putting her in a separate, safe enclosure such as a wire dog cage for a few days, with food and water but no nest box. After a few days, her broody hormones will dissipate and she can rejoin the flock. Maybe next time you want chicks, she will go broody First and you can let her hatch.

 

[BDutch]

My one hen keeps stealing my other hens nest. I am not sure how she kicks the original broody out or if she steals it when the other leaves it but sometimes this is happening multiple times a day. We already had one hen hatch out babies and they are separate but right now we have 2 hens on nests and I don’t think I want to start a 3rd one. Should I split the eggs between the two or what is the best way to handle it? Our separate coop for the babies is small so I don’t know that I want 4 mamas. Not even sure how 2 or three is going to do. Anyone have experience with this?

Easiest thing to do is seperate the broodies from the hens you don’t want to brood.

But you need a coop you can divide in to two compartments or put a second coop in separated (part of the ) run.

 

[Taralynn07]

Splitting the eggs and allowing her to hatch them would make her happy, but you said you don't have room for another chicken family. In that case, it would be better for you to "break" her. This involves putting her in a separate, safe enclosure such as a wire dog cage for a few days, with food and water but no nest box. After a few days, her broody hormones will dissipate and she can rejoin the flock. Maybe next time you want chicks, she will go broody First and you can let her hatch.

Have you had any success with letting the mama and chicks in with the flock? They have around 2500 sf for 33 chickens, 5 of which are roosters. We usually let them free range from about 4:30pm till dark. We do have the pen split in two with a door between when we added onto the run. So the two total is about 2500 sf.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I HAVE to give my broodies and chicks safe and secure separate pens completely wrapped in 1/2" hardware cloth, otherwise all chicks would be eaten by the abundant woodland snakes. But plenty of BYC members allow their broodies to raise chicks within the flock from day 1. Success partly depends on the broody's place in the pecking order, and if she can adequately defend her chicks against flock members that might think to harm them.