Need help please! Broody hen keeps getting kicked off eggs

[KDrake]

Our wyandotte went broody and has been sitting on 11 eggs. We started out with 13, but one got knocked out somehow and have no clue what happened to the other one. They are due to hatch in about a week.

The past couple days we have noticed that our barred rock has been sitting on the eggs while the wyandotte is sitting in the nesting box next to it. We keep taking the barred rock out and putting our wyandotte back in, but the barred rock keeps kicking her out.

What do we do??

 

[Hencraze24]

I think 13 eggs are way too much for even a large Wyandotte, though I'm no expert. You could try to separate the hen and her eggs from the rest of the flock. Is your barred rock broody as well?

 

[KDrake]

I think 13 eggs are way too much for even a large Wyandotte, though I'm no expert. You could try to separate the hen and her eggs from the rest of the flock. Is your barred rock broody as well?

It's starting to look that way! I'd like to separate our wyandotte with her eggs until they hatch. I'm just worried she will abandon them or something. Our barred rock is on then right now with the wyandotte in the box next to her.

 

[Hencraze24]

let your hen hatch and brood the chicks. When your chicks are around 2 months, you could fence off an area in your run (unless they free range, then I have no solution). Let the older girls see but not touch the chicks, which are in the fenced off area with the mother. This worked great with our flock.

 

[Alaskan]

It sounds like she IS getting kicked off all of the time and is still broody.

I would (especially if the nest is elevated) put a nest, chick feed and water, and whichever broody you prefer, in her own place.

If the first one isn't happy with the setup, try the other broody.

I like to have them segregated for the first few days, until all chicks are active. Then I see if I can immediately put them back with the flock.

A good broody will protect the chicks just fine. Some broodies however will not.... so watch and see if it will work in your situation.

 

[Ebony Rose]

Any chance that you can split the eggs between your broody hens in two different areas?

 

[KDrake]

Thanks every one for your advice! We ended up separating her and giving her her own space with privacy and protection from everyone else. She took to her eggs right away!

Unfortunately, we had one egg break before we got her moved - I'm assuming due to all the in and outs going on between her and our barred rock. Once we got our broody moved, our barred rock has not been sitting on other eggs at all.

 

[Alaskan]

Nice update!