broody hens

[Anonymous]

I reacentley bought a trio of light sussex bantums now both the hens have gone broody on there own eggs

I have also placed some wyandotte eggs under both of them. I am now worried that they will attack each others chicks should I seperate them and if so is it better to do this now or after the hatch

 

[Davidd]

Hello and welcome
I would separate them asap- that way they should setlle down on their own eggs- keeping them together can cause problems with fighting/killing chicks etc. They will be better on their own- i know some peolpe have raised chicks with two or more broodies but it's not recommended. Let us know how they go.
regards, David

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Davidd

Thanks for that advice. They both went on the brood last saturday and I am cocerned that if I move them to another house they will come off the brood. Would it be better to try and seperate the house they are in or move them and what should i do with the cockerel

kind regards Edwardo

 

[Davidd]

Hi, can you not move one into the new coop?- i would give the remaining one all the eggs if she can cover them- then move one broody into new coop on dummy eggs- once she is sitting a day give her the eggs back -i dont know how many eggs they both have so dont know if this is possible The cock will be fine with the single hen for a while- even when hatched most cockerels are ok. Once hatched you can move her too and leave the cock on his own- he will be fine.
regards, David

 

[snifter]

As a further note to what davidd has said, I used to always let my broody hens sit on eggs and moved them earlier on in sitting than later. I used to use small broody boxes or rabbit hutches for this. They never gave up being broody being moved. Once eggs hatched I would keep them in broody pens with their chicks for a few days so that all the others could see them and be seen, the cock bird too. And once a few days were up I'd let the hen and her chicks out to free range with the flock. Usually the mother hen would put every other hen in their place and just go about her business and not really follow the flock. And the cock bird made an excellent father and would take care of the little ones, find them food and also sit on them at night once the mother hen had ceased doing so. It was lovely to see all the chicks going and sitting under him at night and him letting them.

Only one thing was I'd not have 2 new mums and their chicks in close proximity. I always staggered my broodies at least a week or two so as to not have them all the same age and so on. And if hens did fight or attack the others chicks I'd rotate letting them free range each day, so they all got time out of the broody pen.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi, can you not move one into the new coop?- i would give the remaining one all the eggs if she can cover them- then move one broody into new coop on dummy eggs- once she is sitting a day give her the eggs back -i dont know how many eggs they both have so dont know if this is possible The cock will be fine with the single hen for a while- even when hatched most cockerels are ok. Once hatched you can move her too and leave the cock on his own- he will be fine.
regards, David

Hi David

There are 9 eggs in all 5 and 4 under each hen, would I need to form a new nest box of straw in the new coop, place the eggs in and let her sort them out her self. If one did come off is 9 egg to maney for 1 bantum hen

Regards Edwardo

 

[Davidd]

Hi, no, nine eggs are fine for one bantam- make a new nest and give the hen your not moving all the eggs- use some dummy eggs for the new nest and put the hen you moved on them- once sitting tight give her back the original eggs.
regards, David