Two Broodies sharing a nest.

[macdoogle2]

Is this a bad idea? I had two hens go broody at the same time. They are sharing 10 eggs in one nest. When one hen gets off to go eat the other one takes over the nest. The misplaced hen usually sits next to her on the eggs layed by the other hens. I collect these eggs daily. I've also marked the incubating eggs so I know that no new eggs are added to the nest. My question is what will happen when and if any chicks hatch? Can I give each hen a few chicks or will all hell break loose? I don't have a seperate pen to move one of the mothers into right now.

 

[Judy]

Hopefully they will figure it out when there are chicks, just as they have it figured out now. I've had two share a nest and clutch of chicks without a problem.

 

[ninabeast]

I am a newbie but I have heard of this working. They both look after the chicks.

 

[Jay262]

If you really want to seperate them you can try putting new eggs say in a corner and see if one of them takes to those they usually will in my experince anyhow. Then if they do just split the eggs in the nest between them.

 

[lilcritters]

I had 3 hens raise 7 chicks. They get confussed on who to follow but it doesn't matter that hen will take care of them. As far as when they hatched out on hen took the first hatched ones and the other 2 hens sat till the rest where hatched. All eggs hatched so I took all chicks and hens out of the nest. All was good.


April

 

[TheHalfWayCoop]

We're going through this right now too, and until yesterday it had been working very well, until a third wanted a nest, and you know what they say... two's company, three's a crowd... and #3 knocked all the eggs out of the nest and no one even noticed! Now the two original broodies are inside with their clutches and the third is sitting on her own eggs. I'm sure it'll work out!!

 

[macdoogle2]

Thank you for all the responses. After all that I just hope some of the eggs are fertile and will actually hatch. Otherwise there will be some very disapointed hens. Myself included. One other question. How does the rooster take to the chicks? What about the other none broody hens? One of the mother hens seems to be the rooster's favorite. At least he paid her alot of attention before she started sitting. Will he protect the chicks, or just stay out of it? He is very non-aggressive and young, about 8 months old.

 

[lilcritters]

Roosters won't pay any attention to them. They want to woo the hens again and most of the time they are looking for food for the hen... she comes takes it and gives it to the chicks. My roo most of the time was somewhere else and wasn't around them much.


April