Two broodies, side by side

[egggarden]

On Saturday, I set clutches of eggs under two broody hens. I have them in dog crates, side by side, away from the rest of the flock. Annette and Eugenie have access to the same water & food. Eggs are set to hatch around March 20/21 (Spring Chicks!). Will things work out when the chicks hatch? Or am I asking for chaos......... Will I need to separate the two families?

 

[Southernbelle]

It seems whenever I have multiple broodies on the same schedule - they co-parent - even when I gave them each their own eggs.

Right now I have 3 Silkie broody mamas co-parenting 6 babies. One hen hatched them all. When they first began to hatch, she got off the nest for a bite to eat and 1/2 the babies were missing.

I started freaking out and started looking around for dead babies and couldn't find any. I finally thought to check the other broodies and the babies had just moved in with them!

So, I gathered all the babies up and put them back with the right mama and one-by-one those same babies wiggled back out from under her, hopped out of her nest and toddled 2 nests down to the other broodies who were sharing a 5 gallon bucket.

Now all three mamas and all 6 babies bunk up in the single 5 gallon bucket at night. I guess it's pretty warm in there!

Some broodies can be very territorial and protective, so you should watch yours carefully, especially if its their first time. But I think my Silkies would try to mother the barn mice if they could.

 

[egggarden]

Thanks! I'll keep an eye on them. Annette hatched a clutch for us last Spring, but this is Eugenie's first.

 

[SunshineSilkies]

When my silkies go broody, they each try to hog the eggs!! Right now, I have 2 silkies in each of 3 boxes. As soon as one gets up to get something to eat, the other one grabs her eggs!!!!! When they try to get back in the box, the other one will squeal at the one trying to get back in!!! At least when they hatch, they stay warm with 2 mamas!!

 

[conny63malies]

thats it . I am ordering bantam silkie eggs.

 

[gabrielle1976]

You just added to my growing list of reasons I should keep my silkie if she ends up being a girl. Though its really a mute point cause I live in an apartment and I doubt my land lord would want me to have a chicken in my house.
LOL I can dream though, I could always say this isnt a chicken this is a featherd Incubator.