Introducing one mama and her brood to another mama and her brood.

[emjay]

Well, I sold two hens yesterday so I could use the coop for all my new babies. As I had 3 seperate brooder pens, now the babies are all in the 6 week range, too big for their brooder pens. I let one mama and her 8 babies into the big side where the 2 hens were, I let my garage brood of 7 into the space where the first group were.
That leaves one more mama and her brood of 4. Whom I'd like to let out today, I'd like to put her in with the other hen and her babies, will that cause fighting and bloodshed or should it be okay? The two hens have been side by side for the last 6+ weeks, and were coop mates before they went broody.
or should it go relatively smooth, haha. ya right. I find chickens aren't that simple.

I have a broody hen right now, with whom I am having a hard time breaking her out of the mood.

 

[emjay]

any advice, tips ?? I am anxious to try this today. It's my day off.

 

[savingdogs]

Well my situation isn't the same, but I had two sister hens go broody together. They sat on nests together and raised the babies now together. They seemed to love all the chicks when they were in the "chick" mood.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I mix my broodies and their clutches all the time. Might be a feather tussle or two, but they all tend to get along or ignore each other - water/food dish for each clutch. My broody run is approx. 20ft x 25ft - each broody has her own plastic dog kennel - which they n the clutch go into for night and are placed in the coop.

 

[emjay]

thanks. good to know.

My run isn't that big. But, I'm hoping.