Two broodys on one nest

[Crumpets]

I have 2 hens both broody both sitting on 5 eggs that are due to hatch this week. One is bantam who went broody first, the other is a large fowl (as are the eggs) who joined in about 10 days ago. I moved them both to a new pen 2 nights ago and they are both continuing to sit nicely. My question is should I take one off the nest and if so which one? I would prefer them to go back to laying ASAP but I don’t want to risk the eggs or be cruel. Any advice would be welcome. Thank you.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I have 2 hens both broody both sitting on 5 eggs that are due to hatch this week. One is bantam who went broody first, the other is a large fowl (as are the eggs) who joined in about 10 days ago. I moved them both to a new pen 2 nights ago and they are both continuing to sit nicely. My question is should I take one off the nest and if so which one? I would prefer them to go back to laying ASAP but I don’t want to risk the eggs or be cruel. Any advice would be welcome. Thank you.

Do you have an incubator, in case both hens end up abandoning the eggs in a worst-case scenario? My guess would be that you could remove either one, but you take a chance of disrupting both. I had a similar situation one year and just let both hens hatch and raise the chicks together. Both were LF birds in my case, it was cute to see the two mothers riding herd on the batch of chicks. But you're right; both hens were out of production until the hens came back into lay. Good luck, and please keep us posted as to your decision and how it works out for you!

 

[Crumpets]

No I don’t have an incubator so I left them both as per your advice. We have at least one chick now, still all hidden under the hens. Maybe I’ll move one out when they come off the nest. Thank you for your help.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

No I don’t have an incubator so I left them both as per your advice. We have at least one chick now, still all hidden under the hens. Maybe I’ll move one out when they come off the nest. Thank you for your help.

I don't know how successful you'll be at removing one hen once the chicks have hatched. I think it would be cruel to try. Generally, if you don't want a hen to hatch eggs, you remove her off the nest and "break" her out of her broodiness as soon as possible when you notice she is trying to set on eggs, like within the first few days.

 

[Crumpets]

Oh ok, no problem. Thank you again for your help.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Oh ok, no problem. Thank you again for your help.

Let us know how it goes. And we love pucs!