Social organisation

[chickenfan]

I have two magnificent, huge blue French Marans that have grown up together, separately from all my other birds in the front garden. They are both extremely gentle and are closely bonded. Now one of them is broody, and I have put her on 3 eggs from a thin broody that was getting tired and it seems one of the eggs may hatch. Normally I would separate the broody into her own space, but her sister is extremely gentle. Quite often she just sits next to the broody bird. Do you think it might work - if I'm careful - to leave her with any chicks that hatch?

I would like to keep her biosecure for future breeding if possible. She is from health screened parents, from original French stock. My other options would be a) to have her sister and any chicks in a broody coop within her pen, but would she feel lonely whilst her sister is busy with chicks? b) to transfer a 12-week marans cockerel and hen to her pen (with her sister in a broody coop) or c) to transfer her to a group of five 12-week old youngsters. I understand teenage birds carry things whilst they are building their immunity.

She is a very special bird. I'd be grateful of thoughts of how to organise things.

 

[foxy]

In my opinion, I would separate them as only your broody will have nurturing instincts and it may go horribly wrong otherwise. Her relationship with her sister may change anyhow and she may not appreciate her company.

 

[chrismahon]

I wouldn't risk leaving them together Chickenfan. As Foxy says her behaviour to her sister may change to highly defensive. But they need to stay close, because the other hen will pine on her own. Best not to complicate things by too much movement, so option a) for me.

 

[Marigold]

Is it possible to set up a run with a division across part of it, so the hen and chicks can be on one side and her sister on the other, still able to see each other and stay integrated, but with no risk to the chicks? She will only want her chicks for 6 weeks and so long as the two hens have stayed in sight of each other there should be no problems about them living together again after that, with the growing chicks in their own run by then of course. However close they are now, if separated completely for that time they may not be happy together afterwards.

 

[chickenfan]

Thank you Foxy, Chris and Marigold for your input. So if the one without the chicks will not be lonely if she can watch her sister in a coop with the chicks, (but without her own companion), I will go for this option.

Thank you again for your advice.