Two chickens and one of them has gone broody

[Epye]

In a few days I will be putting fertilized eggs under my broody hen. I use to have a total of three hens but one hs gone missing. I feel bad for the other the lone hen. Will she get lonely? I keep her locked in the run while I am not around. Is her possible loneliness even a problem?

In about 2 to 3 weeks my chicks will be ready to go outside in the coop so I don't really know what to do for her in the meantime.

Thank you!

 

[Cassandra Lana]

You could take her to visit the broody hen and chicks. I did that when Helena (duck) was alone with the chickens and we got ducklings.

 

[aart]

In about 2 to 3 weeks my chicks will be ready to go outside in the coop so I don't really know what to do for her in the meantime.

The broody chicks....or...??
It's best, IMO, to keep a broody in the coop in sight of the flock.

 

[AntiqueB]

I just had the same problem a month ago. Broody wanted to stay in her nest, non-broody (Peck) wanted her to come out to play. Mine have run of the yard, so Peck got into all sorts of trouble: learning to jump the fence, nibbling anything on sight, knocking on the door for me to come out. I spent a LOT of time outside with her, as she's fairly friendly. She loved sitting on my lap and being petted for a couple hours a day.

Toys will help, I think, but if you have time, spend some with your hen. I'm pretty sure she won't be lonely, but she will be really bored.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Where is your broody hen hatching? Is she in the coop or do you have her isolated? I don't know what your set-up looks like?

I've never been in your situation where you only have two hens and one is broody. With my set-up I mark the eggs and let the broody hatch with the flock. You could try that if you wish. If you isolate her I'd want it to be where the other hen can see her. That could help a lot with reintegration and could help the other hen's loneliness.

They are flock animals. Being alone can change behaviors. Some can handle that better than others. I'd want her to know that other hen is still around. I just think it would be a better situation all around.

 

[Epye]

Where is your broody hen hatching? Is she in the coop or do you have her isolated? I don't know what your set-up looks like?

I've never been in your situation where you only have two hens and one is broody. With my set-up I mark the eggs and let the broody hatch with the flock. You could try that if you wish. If you isolate her I'd want it to be where the other hen can see her. That could help a lot with reintegration and could help the other hen's loneliness.

They are flock animals. Being alone can change behaviors. Some can handle that better than others. I'd want her to know that other hen is still around. I just think it would be a better situation all around.

The two birds are together and so far they seem fine. I take Fussy (the non broody hen) out for a few hours while I'm around. I think she is use to being a lone. Someone dropped her off at the end of my lane and she spent a week on her own before I could catch her.

I am thinking of moving her into a bigger coop when my 18 chicks move outside. Do you think this will be okay? The broody mama will not be visible when she moves and the chicks have never seen her. Also she is a bully

I also have 4 ducks and a goose moving outside soon and into the same coop but a separate section. They will all share a run for right now until I feel like it is safer for them to free range again.

Maybe both fussy and the broody mama should be moved right into the new coop now?

Chicken math is real.

 

[Ridgerunner]

So it is not just two hens with one of them broody. You also have 18 chicks in a brooder you'll soon take outside. Also 4 ducks and a goose, probably in the same brooder. You have at least two coops (maybe more for the waterfowl) and one run. And you've run into a situation that isn't that uncommon when you free range, you lost one and need to keep them in a run until the predator that got your hen moves on, if it will. Not at all what I envisioned from your first post. There is some integration involved too.

I don't know what all those facilities look like or how they are tied together so it's hard to offer any specific suggestions. Do any of those coops have a small section of run area with it so you can isolate your birds in there? Can they even see each other?

Many of us integrate young chicks with older birds regularly. Older hens can be bullies and may pose a danger to young chicks. There are techniques to manage this but I don't know what you have to work with. My general thoughts are to keep the two hens where they can see each other when the broody comes off of her nest to eat, drink, and poop even if it is across wire. Put the 18 chicks and the waterfowl in what will become their permanent home, that will probably help integration later. But how to manage this with what facilities you have or what more facilities you need to build (probably runs or sectioning off parts or runs) I don't have a clue.

 

[Epye]

Thanks for responding! I grew up on a farm with a big gaggle of geese so I'm new to chickens

I have two separate brooders for the waterfowl and chicks. They are not together. When I take them outside they see each other through a fence. Fussy has seen them a lot. The broody mother may have seen them but I'm not sure.

I have two runs attached to two coops. The coops are in separate locations. The coop I will be using for all the chickens is 12*12ft. Its run size is 27*50 ft. Electric fence with bird netting over top. The ducks have a separate space inside that coop, but I might move them out depending on how messy it gets and space. I'm not sure yet.

Im mostly concerned for my two hens and any future baby's that are hatched. The broody mama can stay alone in her coop and run if needed, but it would be simpler if she was in with the flock. Also I'm getting married on the property in July and the smaller run is in the way. So the sooner it comes down the better.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You keep adding interesting twists. Congratulations on the marriage. If the small run needs to come down, let's get it down.

Can you move that small coop to that other area? Preferably inside that run. I envision a wire mesh fence to keep the chickens in and insulated hot wires along the outside against predators. If you can move that small coop inside, build a run around it. It could be chicken wire, with that electric fence that area should be predator proof. If you can't get it inside put it next to the new run and put a way to connect to the run. I did my grow-out coop that way, on the outside. If you can't get it in the run and set it up on the outside get back with me, I may be able to save you a whole lot of trouble. The way I set it up was about the worst mistake I made with chickens. It would have been so easy to avoid.

What I'm after is a small coop to house both hens with connection to that big run. Keep both adults in there. Put the others in their final coop. Leave the hens across wire from the chicks for a while before you worry about integrating them. After the broody hatches open the gate to that small interior run. I don't think you'll have any trouble between the broody and her chicks and the other chicks. I don't know how that single hen will act, probably not a big problem but you never know for sure. Initially I'd expect the chicks to sleep in their big coop and the two adults and the broody hen's chicks to sleep in the small coop. Eventually they can be moved to the main coop. And you will have something for an emergency. If you need to separate a chicken for whatever reason you have something ready. It could be good for a broody hen in the future. If you integrate later on you have the perfect way to do it. I find a separate building like this to be extremely useful.

 

[Epye]

Thank you! I can't move the small coop, but I do have something that I have been using as a chicken tractor. It's big enough for two chickens so Ill put it in the big run and make them their own smaller run. Thank you, it was a much simpler solution than I thought it would be! I tried to put a lot of thought into the run and the coop, but I had no plan on how to get them all inside.