Multiple Setting Hens

[tnkinhunting]

I think I have made a mistake. I have what I will just call my frizzle pen - one frizzle rooster with six mature hens and 30+ 12 week old cochins, etc. In that pen (all are bantams) is a long nest box with eight partitions. Well, I now have four hen's setting on eggs. One that is setting is one of my two frizzle hen's (I have some of her eggs in a bator), one is an old english game, the other is a Blact Tailed Jap cross.

I then added two old rosecomb hens, their mate died, and she saw all those eggs and promptly began setting with one of the hens. So, I took two eggs from her and moved them to another nest and put the rosecomb on them. This is getting out of hand! But I really don't have anywhere to move them to. HELP! I have read that this is not a good idea!!!! They do get mixed up when they come off to eat, and get on the neighbors nest but the neighbor just moves over!!!!

 

[silkiechicken]

It is possible to mess up who is on what nest and the have eggs get left behind. I would mark all the eggs being sat on and put the best broody on them to hatch. However, I am hoping that all the eggs are the same age as the earliest one to hatch will be "adopted" by the moms and they may get up off all the others before they hatch.

 

[tnkinhunting]

Well two of them hatched off - 12 chicks doing fine - I moved the two old rosecomb hens, Only one to go - I took them out when they finished hatching. The problem is enuf brooders for hen's hatching! And incubators.

Mya

Ms. Banty