The broody twins

[Beverfly]

My mixed flock of 6 month-old chickens has its first broody hen. We think she’s a Cuckoo Maran. She went broody about a week ago and has been sitting on a small clutch of viable eggs for four days. We have her separated and let her out in the late afternoon to get a drink and some food (although both are also available in her crate). Her comb is pale and she looks generally unkempt so I have no trouble picking her out of the flock when they mingle. Two days ago, another hen of the same breed started laying around the yard and settling under the perches at night, but not in a box. I can’t find anything wrong with her and she moves around with the flock during the day. Tonight my husband closed up the broody box with a hen inside, and later when I went to do the nightly headcount I found my broody hen in the coop nest boxes, and her twin sitting on the nest in the broody box. Could they both be broody? Is it common for hens to share broody periods, or co-op a nest? Should I put the two hens in the brooding box together? Thanks!

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

I’d say it’s quite common, I have a 2 silkie hens who are currently broody in the same next box and are sharing the eggs.

It often seems like broodiness is contagious!

Once one goes broody they all want to!

I had 4 hens all go broody at the same time this year! And another 3 at a separate time!

And now currently the 2 silkies!

 

[goldysgirl]

My mixed flock of 6 month-old chickens has its first broody hen. We think she’s a Cuckoo Maran. She went broody about a week ago and has been sitting on a small clutch of viable eggs for four days. We have her separated and let her out in the late afternoon to get a drink and some food (although both are also available in her crate). Her comb is pale and she looks generally unkempt so I have no trouble picking her out of the flock when they mingle. Two days ago, another hen of the same breed started laying around the yard and settling under the perches at night, but not in a box. I can’t find anything wrong with her and she moves around with the flock during the day. Tonight my husband closed up the broody box with a hen inside, and later when I went to do the nightly headcount I found my broody hen in the coop nest boxes, and her twin sitting on the nest in the broody box. Could they both be broody? Is it common for hens to share broody periods, or co-op a nest? Should I put the two hens in the brooding box together? Thanks!

I started a thread a few days ago asking for advice because I had two broody birds sharing a nest with eggs and one of the eggs had a huge crack in it about a week before hatch. I think the crack was from the hens rolling eggs back and forth...also the mamma was bantam and the other broody was a large fowl silkie. I sealed the egg with clear nail polish, moved mama with the eggs to a nice safe place in my garage where she could finish the job. All three eggs hatched, but the cracked egg only pipped and after 2 days with no progress it appeared unable to hatch and in distress, so I peeled the shell back in slow stages for it to pop out. I have no doubt it would have died without assist...the membrane under the crack was thick and dry. I have heard people say they had good luck woth co-broodies, but I will never take that risk again after my experience. It was way to stressful for me. I got a little teary when the healthy little guy popped out!

 

[aart]

Could they both be broody? Is it common for hens to share broody periods, or co-op a nest? Should I put the two hens in the brooding box together?

Maybe....I would put the original broody back in her nest area and break the other one.

 

[Beverfly]

The twin has gone back to roosting without any intervention on our part. I guess being locked in the broody box didn’t appeal to her!