Multiple broodies with their own chicks in same coop

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I have one broody currently raising 3 chicks, and another broody that just hatched one today. A third broody is sitting on eggs.

What can I expect having two (and possibly 3) broodies raising their chicks in the same coop?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Some hens are fine, some will kill the other hens chicks. You will find out pretty fast if they are going to get along or not.

 

[Ridgerunner]

No one can tell you for sure. Many people have multiple broodies hatching and raising chicks like that with absolutely no problems. Sometimes each hen minds her own business and leaves the others alone. Sometimes they work together to raise the chicks.

Others sometimes the broody hens fight over the eggs (especially just as they start hatching) or the chicks. Usually the other hen wants to take over. Sometimes eggs or chicks can be hurt in these fights but usually not. The winner gets to take over. It's also possible one hen will try to deliberately harm the other hen's chicks.

No one can give you any guarantees one way or the other. I sure can't tell you what will happen, but I do wish you luck.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Others sometimes the broody hens fight over the eggs (especially just as they start hatching) or the chicks. Usually the other hen wants to take over.

I did notice that the broody mama who has 3 (3-day-old) chicks peering into the nest of the broody that just hatched a cheeping chick and making some unusual sounds (like, "hmmm! That sounds like something I should be raising.").

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

As a precaution, I have set up a fairly well protected brooding box in the coop, where I will place the broody mama with her new chick and eggs once the new chick dries off enough. They can exit and enter as they please.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Some hens, like my japanese bantam, love any and all chicks. She will brood side by side with anyone, and even help them with their chicks if the other hen will let her. She will adopt any chicks I give her up to a week old (meaning she is fine with having chicks with a week in age difference and added a week after the first).

My bantam rocks are horrendous. They will kill anything, and because they are coparenting they will gang up on another hen, with one fighting the hen and distracting her so the other can kill the chicks. My third bantam rock is at the other end of the spectrum and she is so laid back that she often ignores her chick and she is not good about protecting it.

Out of 40+ hens I also have two non-broody types that will sometimes attack chicks. Everyone else ignores them, and my head hen will run to their aid if she hears them in distress. My roosters are all good with the babies.