Need Some Advice on Broody Hens with Different Timed Eggs

[Cheltaran]

Yeah it’s normal.

We wanna see chix rather than p**p.

Hahaha, sorry for the poop pic.
Here is a photo we took of the first 2 chicks yesterday. I'll have to get some of the other 2, but don't want to disturb the mums again just yet. The other 2 both have the chipmunk pattern on them, but one is more red and the other more yellow.

We're not sure what colours we'll get. The mums are all purebred Wyandottes in different colours. We have Partridge, Blue Partridge, Silver Lace, and Silver Pencil. The dad we have no idea, he just showed up here one day and we kept him. He's probably a crossbreed, but people have said he has similar colouring to a Barnevelder (pic below). He's probably not Barnevelder, but looks similar in any case. I'd say that's where the black chick got its colouring from.

 

[Ruthster55]

Hahaha, sorry for the poop pic.
Here is a photo we took of the first 2 chicks yesterday. I'll have to get some of the other 2, but don't want to disturb the mums again just yet. The other 2 both have the chipmunk pattern on them, but one is more red and the other more yellow.

We're not sure what colours we'll get. The mums are all purebred Wyandottes in different colours. We have Partridge, Blue Partridge, Silver Lace, and Silver Pencil. The dad we have no idea, he just showed up here one day and we kept him. He's probably a crossbreed, but people have said he has similar colouring to a Barnevelder (pic below). He's probably not Barnevelder, but looks similar in any case. I'd say that's where the black chick got its colouring from.

View attachment 2391245View attachment 2391246View attachment 2391247
View attachment 2391255

They’re lovely chicks! The black chick might be a female in case there’s any sex-linkage of color traits. The rooster looks great!

 

[Cheltaran]

They’re lovely chicks! The black chick might be a female in case there’s any sex-linkage of color traits. The rooster looks great!

The chipmunk pattern is similar to the pure Partridge Wyandottes we hatched last year too, so I'd say those ones will have at least partial lacing or partridge colours. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Cheltaran]

One more pic, babies playing hide and seek. This is the two more yellow looking chicks.

 

[Ruthster55]

One more pic, babies playing hide and seek. This is the two more yellow looking chicks.

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Love when a chickie peeks out from Mama’s feathers!!

 

[Cheltaran]

If u leave the first set of hatchees with one hen, then as sourland said, move the 2nd hen Completely away and out of sight and hearing of the 1st hen; let 2nd hen hatch the 2nd group of eggs, then give the remaining viable unhatched eggs to the 3rd broody, that Should work. I would move the 2nd hen in the dead of night to her new place, & watch her closely at daybreak to make sure she remains setting on the eggs. Situation is a bit complicated no matter what. But hopefully will it work. WAIT, i think this will work better. Move the FIRST hen with first hatchees to a place completely out of sight & hearing of a remaining hen. Let the second hen remain in place setting on the eggs. When 2nd hatch is complete, THEN give viable remaining eggs to your 3rd broody. I feel pretty good that should work! I didnt erase first part of this post cause i wanted u to know my thought process & how i arrived at second idea. (Because it is much more likely the 2nd hen will stay with the eggs if u Leave her where she has been setting. Meanwhile the first hen will have her chicks & wont try to return to eggs she can no longer see.)

I'm back again, your advice worked great. The first set of hatchees are doing well, and the second set just started hatching last night (we have 2 so far). There's 4 more in that set which are due to hatch in the next day or two, should they be ok to leave with mum to hatch?

The 3rd set of eggs is due in 4 days, should we move them under the 3rd broody? Or is a 4 day gap fine to leave with mum #2?

Or should we start moving the new hatchlings in with the first set of chicks? I was going to wait until the second set had all hatched and then move both mum + chicks into the pen with the other mum + chicks, but not sure on the best approach.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

A 4 day gap is too long for broody #2's chicks to wait for the last eggs to hatch, since chicks can only live off their internal yolk for up to 3 days. After 48 hours have passed, u will see hen #2 chicks start to become very restless, picking at shavings, coming to the front of nestbox everytime u peek in on them, etc. As long as broody #2s remaining eggs hatch within 2 days of her first hatched chick, the early hatched chicks will be fine to leave with broody #2. If u can keep broody #2 & her hatched chicks in a quiet dark place, the chicks will be calmer and not as impatient. I dont know when your first broody completed her hatch, but if it was a few days ago, & u give broody #2 chicks to broody #1 (assuming broody #1 will accept them), the younger chicks may not be able to keep up with the much more active and mobile broody #1 chicks. It sounds like u are doing fine and youve got this covered! Oh yeah one more thing. From your earlier pic of your broodies, they look like they are soulmates/soul sisters. So they will hopefully accept each others chicks. But it is typical to NOT combine broodies & chicks, because a broody will often attack chicks that are not her own. So when u move broody #2 in with broody #1, watch closely to ensure they dont harm each others chicks. If u see any problems, u will need to have separate broody pens for them. Giving u a heads up re that issue just in case.
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[Cheltaran]

A 4 day gap is too long for broody #2's chicks to wait for the last eggs to hatch, since chicks can only live off their internal yolk for up to 3 days. After 48 hours have passed, u will see hen #2 chicks start to become very restless, picking at shavings, coming to the front of nestbox everytime u peek in on them, etc. As long as broody #2s remaining eggs hatch within 2 days of her first hatched chick, the early hatched chicks will be fine to leave with broody #2. If u can keep broody #2 & her hatched chicks in a quiet dark place, the chicks will be calmer and not as impatient. I dont know when your first broody completed her hatch, but if it was a few days ago, & u give broody #2 chicks to broody #1 (assuming broody #1 will accept them), the younger chicks may not be able to keep up with the much more active and mobile broody #1 chicks. It sounds like u are doing fine and youve got this covered! Oh yeah one more thing. From your earlier pic of your broodies, they look like they are soulmates/soul sisters. So they will hopefully accept each others chicks. But it is typical to NOT combine broodies & chicks, because a broody will often attack chicks that are not her own. So when u move broody #2 in with broody #1, watch closely to ensure they dont harm each others chicks. If u see any problems, u will need to have separate broody pens for them. Giving u a heads up re that issue just in case.
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I'm worried we won't have enough room to keep 3 different broody pens. Do you think they'd be ok if we raise the second set of chicks under a lamp and re-introduce them to mum #2 when the last set of chicks hatch in a few days?

Next time we will definitely put all the eggs under the hens on the same day. This is so complicated

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Yes your idea is good. Put the second set of chicks under heat lamp with food & water. When broody #2 has hatched her remaining eggs, put the older chicks back with her at night, & do so before she has gotten a good look at her younger chicks. When broody #2 takes all her chicks out the next morn for the first time & shows them where the food is, she will be very impressed at how smart her chicks are, that they already know how to find food! im laughing, but i have used the above scenario many times each year. In my case, i get chicks of breeds i want from the feedstore or a hatchery, and wait for a broody to hatch her own chicks. I then then slip the feedstore chicks in with her at night, before she ever takes her own chicks out of the nestbox. Has worked every time!

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Ps. Yes your situation is more complicated. But it is doable, & u r getting it done!