Need advice on broody hen hatch/hen drama

[Michelley1001]

Hi all! This is only my second post in this forum I believe but I would love to get more experienced people’s advice on my situation. I’ve currently got an Easter egger broody hen that has been sitting on 9 eggs since late evening of feb 19th so we’re already on day 17. She went broody in the nest boxes of the coop and I ultimately decided to leave her there instead of moving her to avoid her possibly abandoning her broodiness. So far there has been no drama with the other hens...until now. I have a leghorn hen who had some tail feathers pulled out by a predator that she narrowly escaped a couple weeks ago. I noticed the other hens pecking at her yesterday a little so I sprayed some allu shield on her broken feather spot and they seemed to leave her alone after that. But this morning I go out to find her and my broody hen in an all out battle in the run. I broke them up but it didn’t last long. It seemed to be the leghorn attacking my broody, but I’m not sure exactly what started it. I did find a leghorn egg in with my EEs eggs she is incubating, so I’m not sure if that started it or what. For now I separated the leghorn into our old coop/run away from the others and the EE broody is now peacefully back on her nest. So I’m wondering now should I just leave the leghorn separated and leave everyone else be, or attempt to move the broody and her eggs? I feel like being so close to hatch day that that probably isn’t a good idea. And I am hoping to let my broody raise the chicks with the flock so assuming they hatch, I’m hesitant to let the leghorn back in with the flock in fear it would go after my broody and her chicks. Does anyone have any advice on this type of situation? I’m so bummed because my flock really has minimal drama and we’ve gone this far of her incubation with no problems. If it all started because of fighting over the nest box full of eggs, would putting fake eggs in the other boxes help??

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Is there any way to fence off a portion coop so the others can't get to the broody? She will still need to get off the nest once a day to eat/drink and poop.
If given the opportunity, a broody will hide her nest away from the flock to brood in secret.

I separate mama and young chicks from the flock until the chicks are old enough to avoid unwanted attention from the flock, usually a few weeks. You can set up a small pen in the coop or run to keep them safe. Not every hen will have maternal feelings toward the chicks, so be cautious until you see how they react.

Moving her probably won't break her at this point. If she went back to the nest after the fight, she sounds dedicated.
When they do hatch, the chicks will need to be able to get out of the nest box, which can be tricky if it's not on the floor.

There's nothing better than watching a mama with her chicks.
Hope you post some pics when they hatch!

 

[Michelley1001]

Is there any way to fence off a portion coop so the others can't get to the broody? She will still need to get off the nest once a day to eat/drink and poop.
If given the opportunity, a broody will hide her nest away from the flock to brood in secret.

I separate mama and young chicks from the flock until the chicks are old enough to avoid unwanted attention from the flock, usually a few weeks. You can set up a small pen in the coop or run to keep them safe. Not every hen will have maternal feelings toward the chicks, so be cautious until you see how they react.

Moving her probably won't break her at this point. If she went back to the nest after the fight, she sounds dedicated.
When they do hatch, the chicks will need to be able to get out of the nest box, which can be tricky if it's not on the floor.

There's nothing better than watching a mama with her chicks.
Hope you post some pics when they hatch!

So about the only thing I can do at this point would be to put the leghorn back in with the flock and move the broody and her eggs to our old coop that has an attached run. That’s what I was going to do anyway if there were any issues with the flock messing with the chicks. I was just afraid if I did it now I might jeopardize the hatch. I have tried to not mess with the eggs and let her do her thing.

 

[Michelley1001]

Is there any way to fence off a portion coop so the others can't get to the broody? She will still need to get off the nest once a day to eat/drink and poop.
If given the opportunity, a broody will hide her nest away from the flock to brood in secret.

I separate mama and young chicks from the flock until the chicks are old enough to avoid unwanted attention from the flock, usually a few weeks. You can set up a small pen in the coop or run to keep them safe. Not every hen will have maternal feelings toward the chicks, so be cautious until you see how they react.

Moving her probably won't break her at this point. If she went back to the nest after the fight, she sounds dedicated.
When they do hatch, the chicks will need to be able to get out of the nest box, which can be tricky if it's not on the floor.

There's nothing better than watching a mama with her chicks.
Hope you post some pics when they hatch!

Or I could also set up a large dog kennel in the flocks current run I suppose. That way they are all still technically together

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Either of those would work. I wouldn't trust the Leghorn around the chicks.

You've looked her over really good? Parasites? Vent is okay? Not too skinny? There is usually a reason a flock goes after one of their own. They see the weakness before we do.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Oh, never mind. You already said a predator got her.

 

[Michelley1001]

Yes she is definitely minorly injured from a predator. It got 2 of our leghorns but she got away. But it’s just a couple broken tail feathers nothing major and they haven’t messed with her until now. But I do worry about the leghorns around the chicks because they do tend to be the more aggressive in our flock. Not to us but amongst each other.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

 

[LONDON HENS]

I am interested to know what you did? Do you have chicks?

I would have left her in her original next box and kept the leghorn out.

 

[Michelley1001]

I am interested to know what you did? Do you have chicks?

I would have left her in her original next box and kept the leghorn out.

Yes that’s exactly what I did! I left her there and have left the leghorn in the old coop and she will stay there until her tail feather spot is healed. And yes! We had chicks hatch Thursday/Friday and they’re doing great and flock is good with them and mama is a great mama hen!