two broody hens, two hatches in the same coop - will that work?

[Lisa0318]

Quote:
LOL...well u would be surprised at what a broody hen is willing to do just to sit on eggs

i see her roll that egg across the coop and managed to roll it in her nest, they have there nests about 1 foot off the floor but i saw her do it , and i just gave her her own eggs yesterday and now shes happy with the ones she has and she stoped stealing blancas eggs

finally.

 

[Gonda]

Lots of discussion since I last checked the forum!!

As to my original question - the hens did sort it out themselves. I had the two hens side by side in nesting boxes, the one on eggs and the other had no eggs but was persisting in being broody (5 weeks!). So, three chicks hatched (disappointing). And I had built an extension (covered) on the front of the nesting box of that hen, so the chicks wouldn't fall out and no one could go in an steal them. Well, I forgot that the back was open. So, the day after they hatched, I walked into the coop and found the 5 week broody hen on the ground, guarding a chick!! I guess the chick must have fallen out and this broody saw her chance. So I put the broody in the nest with the newly adopted chick and watched. The chick was peeping at first, and mom pecked at her almost desperately, as if to get her to hush, "don't say anything". The original mom looked a little perturbed but didn't get excited. After a while, I put the two moms in separate crates, the original mom with two chicks and the adopting mom with the one chick. This morning, I opened the crates, after shooing everyone else out of the coop. The hens and chicks came out and I kept an eye on them. There was a scuffle at one point where it looked like they might both have been wanting the one chick, but the original mom backed off. The adopted mom is trying very hard to get her chick to stay with her, and the chick does stay close, but this mom seems to not have the knack for getting the chick to tuck under her. She pecks at it a lot, even knocking the chick over at times, and the chick tries to get under the mom, but the mom doesn't lift her wing and tuck like they usually do. So, I feel kinda sorry for the adopted chick. It might have been better off with the original mom. But, hopefully they'll all play together over time...

 

[LittleRooster]

This is an interesting discussion. I had something similar happen. My hens (RIRs, one Astrolorp and one Buff Orpington) free range. They all lay in the open barn where they roost at night. Except that one RIR decided to lay in the shed and was broody. I didn't figure it out for a few days (so who knows how old the eggs were) so let her set her eggs, figured if I wasn't going to eat them she might as well keep them. Well, I noticed every now and then I would go in there the Buff would be setting on the eggs. Hmmm, okay.

Tuesday morning I was about doing my chores and went to check on the broody hen(s) and there was the cheep cheep of a baby. The RIR was all mantled over the baby when I tried to get near and when I checked the eggs the Buff was sitting on I got a handful of beak. Okay... So, I put the baby and RIR momma in a brooder box to keep the baby safe. I left the Buff on the nest because she obviously wasn't happy about me messing with her or the eggs. In the afternoon she was still there. I did my evening check of everyone and noticed she was roosting with everyone else in the barn, the nest was left in the shed. So, I decided to take the eggs and put them in with the RIR momma. She had them all pulled under her the next morning except one.

So, can they tell when the eggs are alive? (according to what I am reading here, it doesn't seem always the case). I was thinking of putting some new eggs under her and just letting the ones that are there sit for a little bit (marking them somehow). I don't know how long I should let her set the old eggs though and how this will affect the one lone baby?

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Kitty, Little Rooster Croft

 

[Gonda]

So the latest is that the two moms are getting along well, living in close quarters, sharing a space that's sectioned off with lattice fencing, so the chicks can get in and out and can get to their feed. The moms each have their own crate and one has two chicks and the other has one. There were a few flareups yesterday, but they settled in, respecting each other's space. Except for one time when the more aggressive hen, who had "stolen" the chick from the other and was now jealously guarding it, went into the other's crate. I wondered if she might be trying to get more chicks. But I took her out (at my own peril) and she didn't try again. Today the two hens and their chicks went outside for much of the day and they're settling nicely. The adopted mom has now also gotten the hang of letting the chick tuck under her.

 

[Norzam]

This is just my newbie experienced coz I just started raising chickens from early this year 2016. I've got 3 hens given by friend of mine & 1 rooster also given by my neighbor. Maybe I'm just lucky enough coz later at the end of Jan 2016, all of them went to broody mode. I became really excited coz I got 9 eggs from1 hen and another 4 eggs each for the other 2 hens.WOW! 17 eggs for a 1st timer like me(not including 6 that have been eaten by us ). All of them were inside the same 8'x4' coop.

The excitement continues as recently on Feb 23rd, I heard chip chip sound under the hen with 9 eggs. 8 of them finally out with 1 infertile egg. The other 2 hens are still in broody mode. I soon realize that the hen with chicks was a very fierce mother. She will peck at the other 2 hens when they get up trying to eat & drink. Maybe she thinks that they will harm her chicks. So then, I decided to split them apart with a wall in the coop creating a 4'x4' section , with the other 2 broody left unharmed...

Now another problem for me as recently on Mar 1st, both of them successfully having hatching eggs & chicks under them. I guess I need to separate them too. I'm afraid of losing those cute little fella. Mine seems can not get along when they become a mother while surprisingly they were once sleep closely together on the same roost

From the reading here in BC, i will try to introduce them with the rest of the flock when the chick reach 2 months old.

 

[dima guy]

All reviews are very interesting, i had a broody who hatched 5 babies 29 days ago, i moved her back to the coop with her chockes 4 days after hatching, she statred take them to the run when they turn 10 days ....ntroubles with the rest of the folck.
Now i have three broodies in the coop, one will hatch her chicks by the 28th of march, one gave her 10 eggs today and one us sitting on two golf balls....is i fine to give her eggs 10 days from now?....what kind of mess to expect??? The mamas will know thier own babies? The babies will recognize their mamas? Or what
I just do not want dramas

 

[Gypsy52]

Here we go mayb I can get some answers here. I just contacted cause I can't figure out how to post on the general forum. I have austrolorpes 5 hens and rooster.. I just got them late january.. Guinevere was missing last tues nite I figured shed gone broody.. my neighbor found her clutch in a covered hole in the shrubs and brush .. she's a good mama.. last week during the storm and cold she never came out. Today it's snowy windy and cold she stayed on her nest. I filled the holes best I could to keep out wet and cold when it was found a week ago. she seems warm enough, I wish I could have put straw under her eggs but I didn't touch them. Could somebody tell me how to click and post in plain English

or email me direct and tell me. [email protected] customer service said to post on general forum but didn't my question HOW?? GYPSY52

 

[kimthom66]

When I had both my cochin and my silkie go broody I got them both fertile eggs to sit on and they sat right by each other the whole time and they both took care of all the babies. They both had their own that would go under them at night but when they were out in the grass both the mommies wound mother all the chicks. I don't know if this is normal but its what happeded to me. (It may have helped that they were best buddies too)

I have a similar situation, I have Bantam Cochins that have gone broody but at separate times, I have one setting on 8 eggs about to hatch in about 5 days and now I have another broody hen who just started to lay on eggs 2 days ago? Can I move the one who just started in with the one who is about to hatch? The hatch dates will be about 2 weeks apart? The one about to hatch is in a small separate coop with two nesting boxes, but she has access to a small run?

 

[Gypsy52]

The two day one you could try I would just remove them and use them.. 21 days to hatch I don't think your original broody will stay on them for additional 9 days from what I've read the chicks hatch in about a 3 day period from 21 to 25 days.. and then they push the Xtra egs out..

 

[Gypsy52]

My bad you're due in 5 days and the two additional egs have 19 days to go.. either remove the egs and use them or leave her set.. you could put more egs under her at night as they are laid if you have any new ones