Problem with broody hens

[gmtarsw]

I have an issue where i appear to have 5 broody chicken hens and 1 broody muscovy duck. The problem is that they have all taken up residence in the one chicken coop and no one chicken can remember whose eggs are whose and on top of that i have more chickens laying under my broody hens. i don't have a problem with broodiness in and of itself, but if they are going to be broody i would hope that they chase the incoming hens away so that the incoming hens find a different place to lay.

I don't know what to do! i would love for all the hens to hatch out their own broods and have their own group of chicks, i don't even care if they pass around the young chicks amongst themselves, but i'm worried my eggs won't ever get to that stage!

i tried moving the one hen into isolation so she could sit in peace (this has worked for my Silkie and my Silkie/Polish cross hen) but my Krienkoppe hen broke broodiness for 2 days and then after i returned her to the flock she went broody again.
Any help?
Please?

 

[snaffle]

If I don't want a hen to stay broody, I put her in a wire dog cage without a pan in it and hang the cage so it is not on the floor. This is not comfy cozy for the hen. Also ... withhold water and food for a day. If I have to go into the hen house while she is in the cage, I will make a lot of noise and sometimes shake the cage. It sometimes takes a few days before a hen will decide she doesnt want to me a mommy

 

[gmtarsw]

I love broodiness, but the reliability of the hens to care for the eggs is questionable at this time. I want to be able to seclude the broodies so that they can hatch in peace

 

[Puddin Fluff]

With so many trying at the same time, you may want to try to break some and let a couple of them go ahead and try.

Or, if you have the space, separate them by breed/eggs whatever and let them sit.

I let a pair of girls co-brood and so far they are doing fabulous. They hatched 6/8 eggs I let them keep. I left them alone all day and when I went to close up in the evening, I would roll out the eggs (I had marked the ones they could keep) and take any new eggs away. They were both in the same nest box and are still keeping the chicks together at two weeks.

I did not separate them as I did not want to have to re-integrate later and with my current flock all is well. Each flock has it's own dynamics so you will have to decide what works for you. Good luck.



Here they are as day olds.

 

[gmtarsw]

Well, an update
the chicken eggs have started to hatch, unfortunately the mommy birds are being overly aggressive and because nobody knows who's eggs are who's, three of the chicks have been scalped, unfortunately all three scalped babies are still alive, (4 hours after i found them and brought them inside). i know that i should prolly euthanize the poor little chick, but i can't. I have no problem naming and processing/eating my named chickens. but chicks... i cant stomach harming them at all.
If my little scalped chickies survive i will let them be.
now the hard part comes, there are still many eggs left in the coop...
i will check for hatchlings in the morning before work and upon return home from work, but that leave 8-12hours where i can not be there for my little chickies.
on a positive note three little chicks hatch and remained unharmed. one banty hatchling was found under my turkey hen who has also joined my broody hutch.

well i hope my story is of interest to someone. ill keep updating on my scalpies, new hatchlings and broodies.