Separating two broody hens

[metcarl]

I have two broody hens that are sitting on just 3 eggs each. They are due to hatch tomorrow. The first broody hen just hatched one chick about a month ago but I found it dead in the coop when it was just a couple days old. I assume one of the other hens killed it because the mom is not very high in the flick and didn’t act very protective (she stayed broody so I put new fertile eggs under her). Two days ago, I tried moving the two broodys to a smaller coop with their eggs and they freaked out and would not sit on the eggs. I moved them back to not further disrupt the eggs this late in the incubation process.

I am thinking about blocking off the nests from the other hens for these last few days and moving the hens and chicks to the new area/coop after they are hatched. It is separated from the main coop by a fence. I thought if I put the hens/chicks in the pen during the day, I would make sure they go in the alternative coop at night for a few days until they get adjusted. Any suggestions how to temporarily block the nesting boxes? I tried using a piece of plywood but someone was able to knock it over. Maybe secure it with a brick?

Another snafu is that when getting back on the nests after moving them back, the broodys switched nests/eggs. Last night when I checked for non-fertile eggs from the other hens, there were two missing eggs under one broody and no signs of shells/goo from it being eaten. However, I have had a broody eat a egg before with little evidence. If eaten, I assume the eggs were nonviable because otherwise the developing chick would be left behind. They could consume the contents of a non developing egg but not one with a developing chick, right? I was also a little worried that the one broody destroyed the eggs because they weren’t the ones she’s been sitting on.

 

[azygous]

You have kind of a mess on your hands, don't you?

Broodies are fickle by nature of the raging hormones, and they aren't likely to accept any reasonable solution at this stage. It's damned if you do and damned if you don't. Moving either eggs or hatched chicks risks the broodies abandoning them.

We learn from mistakes like these. It may be too late to control these broodies, but you can certainly start planning modifications to your coop, such as installing a broody nest or two on the floor with partitions to protect hens and eggs and chicks from the other hens.

I have a coop dedicated to broodies and baby chicks at the opposite end of my run from the main coop. It even has its own run. It's served me very well over the years, and is presently occupied by a broody ad four growing chicks.

As for right now, I would just let things unfold and make the necessary adjustments as problems arise. This is not an ideal situation, and perhaps the best you can do is mitigate as much as is possible while hoping for the best.

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

If your having trouble blocking the nest you don't want them in then put a cardboard box, big basket ball , bucket or just stuff it full of straw so they can't get in.
As far as 2 hens on 3 eggs...I would just remove one of the hens and break her out of being broody and just leave one up to the task.

 

[metcarl]

There’s two hens on four eggs (there were six). Is it risky to break the other one if the eggs are hatching tomorrow? I do like the idea though. Having two mother hens with a small number of chicks may be complicated. Neither one is very assertive with the other hens so I was hoping they would be better as a pair? I’ve heard of hens co-parenting. What are the potential problems moving them both after the chicks are hatched?

I figured out what happened to the two missing eggs. My daughter was baking and needed eggs. She took them not knowing they were fertilized. Fortunately, one was a yolker, but one was a viable chick at the time .

I have a small coop that can be used for broody hens. However, won’t they freak out if I move them there even early on? I guess I could move them first, let them get settled and if they’re still broody, give them eggs then.

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

There’s two hens on four eggs (there were six). Is it risky to break the other one if the eggs are hatching tomorrow? I do like the idea though. Having two mother hens with a small number of chicks may be complicated. Neither one is very assertive with the other hens so I was hoping they would be better as a pair? I’ve heard of hens co-parenting. What are the potential problems moving them both after the chicks are hatched?

I figured out what happened to the two missing eggs. My daughter was baking and needed eggs. She took them not knowing they were fertilized. Fortunately, one was a yolker, but one was a viable chick at the time .

I have a small coop that can be used for broody hens. However, won’t they freak out if I move them there even early on? I guess I could move them first, let them get settled and if they’re still broody, give them eggs then.

Well they can either get along OK or they may become competitive with each other over the chicks which could cause harm. Say one hen decides one is hers and the other hen wants to mother it it can become a squabble or say one hen decides one is hers and decides to kill the other two chicks that are not hers. Different chickens behave and react in different ways so you'll have to be the judge of that. As far as having two hens co-parenting being better, well I don't think a mothering hen needs some other hen telling her how to raise her chicks. Ha,ha!

 

[metcarl]

Maybe, I’ll try to break the broody that is going through her second batch of eggs right now. She let the other one die anyway. I feel bad that she has basically sat on eggs for 6 weeks now though and won’t end up with any chicks!
But, I’m thinking ending up with one mom is less risky than letting them both mother the chicks, right?

What’s the best way to break her? Put her in a cage inside the coop? Or should I put her in the small coop (no nesting boxes) and put the new mom and chicks in the cage in the coop for protection.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

There’s two hens on four eggs (there were six). Is it risky to break the other one if the eggs are hatching tomorrow? I do like the idea though. Having two mother hens with a small number of chicks may be complicated. Neither one is very assertive with the other hens so I was hoping they would be better as a pair? I’ve heard of hens co-parenting. What are the potential problems moving them both after the chicks are hatched?

I figured out what happened to the two missing eggs. My daughter was baking and needed eggs. She took them not knowing they were fertilized. Fortunately, one was a yolker, but one was a viable chick at the time .

I have a small coop that can be used for broody hens. However, won’t they freak out if I move them there even early on? I guess I could move them first, let them get settled and if they’re still broody, give them eggs then.

For the record, I had 3 moms with 2 babies. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt. The only reason there were 3 was because the 2 killed the 3rds chick so the 3rd came and took over the chicks the other 2 were raising as well

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

Maybe, I’ll try to break the broody that is going through her second batch of eggs right now. She let the other one die anyway. I feel bad that she has basically sat on eggs for 6 weeks now though and won’t end up with any chicks!
But, I’m thinking ending up with one mom is less risky than letting them both mother the chicks, right?

What’s the best way to break her? Put her in a cage inside the coop? Or should I put her in the small coop (no nesting boxes) and put the new mom and chicks in the cage in the coop for protection.

I would just put her in a wire cage within the coop/run so she isn't outcast but no luxuries other than food and water for a few days. When you let her out if she heads back to the nest then she's not broke so put her back in jail another day. It usually takes mine 3 days to get over it. Don't worry about feeling sorry for all the time she sat because chickens don't think like people and it won't phase her a bit. Actually it's healthier for her so she can go about her chicken life...nesting is stressful and takes allot out of hens.

 

[BrownBugg]

I just went through this, and it was complicated, but ended up ok. My marans hen went broody so i let her sit on some eggs. Then my silkie, who is an experienced mother and had just finished raising chicks, decided she was going to raise these ones too. So I had Lois and Fluffy both sitting on the same clutch of eggs in everyone's favourite nesting box. I marked the 9 eggs with a big X. The other hens insisted on sneaking in there with them and laying their eggs, so I had to check every couple days and remove any new ones. I had to 'abort some fetuses' (gross) a couple times if I didn't get to the new eggs fast enough, it only takes a couple days of incubation before stuff starts happening.
When the chicks started hatching is when the rodeo began. In the past when fluffy hatches her chicks in the nesting box, I'll wait until some are hatched and then quickly move her and the babies/remaining eggs onto the floor into her little broody nest, just so they're not up high and the other chickens aren't trying to lay their eggs in there with her and her chicks. I've tried moving her before they hatch and it was impossible, but once even 1 chick is hatched then she snaps out of her broody trance and she won't leave her chick from wherever you set her up. Fluffy is so accomodating and easy to handle -Lois turned into a raging bitch/attack chicken and was very uncooperative.
Then the fights between the 2 mamas began. Both girls wanted the babies, and poor Fluffy being a bantam eventually had to surrender. It was about 3 days of fighting and I cherish my little silkie so I felt sad for her.
Eventually they made it work. The chicks belong to Lois, and they sleep with her, but Lois accepted Fluffy's help and they both take care of them.
I've always let my mama hens raise their chicks with the flock and the other chickens and the rooster don't bother them.
It seems like every batch of chicks has it's own unique challenges!