Multiple new mommas

[jus10inla]

I had 3 hens go broody within couple weeks of each other. Was able to keep seperate during entire time.

hen #1 hatched sunday may 28. kept her in brood camp segregated away from general population for one week.

On sun/ mon june 5, hen #2 hatdhed out. I moved hen 2 to segregation, And hen 1 into general pop. Hen 1 is high on pecking order, and kept her babies in Tow / no problems.

well today hen 3 hatched hers. I moved her into segregation, and hen 2 in to general pop. Most of The day there we’re small spats, the roo only got involved twice to break up the 2 momma hens. There coop is 30x30, theres 12 other hens, a roo, 6 pullets, 2 cockerels, then the 2 mommas with babies. Thers plenty of hiding spaces.

the segregation camp where hen 3 is connected but no one can get in (7x7) .

do yall think im doing this correctly? Any pointers / tips ?

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Hello!

I really don’t think that there’s necessarily a ‘right’ way to integrate new mother hens and their chicks into a flock. There’s pretty much always going to be some squabbles and small fights when you try to do this, and that’s just how it goes. I’ve never had a hen with chicks immediately re-find her place in the flock’s pecking order, but every time they always try to fight the other chickens. You can’t really avoid the fights completely, it’s just what happens. For my hens, I pretty much just let nature take its course, but still keep an eye on them to make sure no one gets seriously injured. I always make sure that the hens and chicks have plenty of places to escape or hide, and have access to open space in my yard so they can get away from the other chickens if they need to. Usually, within a couple days they all stop fighting and get along just fine, as if nothing had happened in the first place. I think that you are doing everything fine and your hens may just pick some fights for a couple days before they settle down and get along together.

 

[jus10inla]

Note this isnt My first time raising chicks nor the first time for any of these hens to hatch out; this is the first time tho THREE have babies all together. The issues arent with new mom / re integration , issue is with new moms being hormonal crazy moma against each other

 

[Ridgerunner]

issue is with new moms being hormonal crazy moma against each other

Two possibilities I can think of for them to fight. It's possible one wants to hurt the chicks of the other or one broody thinks that. You never know with these broody hens hopped up on hormones. But I consider it more likely that one hen wants to raise all of the chicks even if they are not the same age. You are looking at them, I'm not. Does it look like either of these to you?

Sometimes broody hens can each raise their own chicks and not bother each other. Sometimes two or more broody hens will share raising the chicks, working together to take good care of them. You can never tell what a chicken will do anyway, but having her hopped up on hormones doesn't help any.

If you feel they are threatened the only solution I can think of is to fence them off from each other.

 

[jus10inla]

They went to bed beside each other last nite; production blue on the left with her 4, and welsummer or right with her 3. You may be able to see the cinamon queen in the back on her 5 or 6 in the separate pen

 

[jus10inla]

Im
At work for another hour then we will see how it looks when i get home. Hopefully nothing crazy