Two chickens...one is broody...split them?

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Poppy7

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Hello all :-)99

My two Pekins have been laying nearly every day since February and all good in health at the moment. One has gone broody...after my last experience this is definitely a broody chicken and she's super keen! I only have two chickens and the other Pekin has also taken to the nest as they are very close.

Anyway....I bought 10 fertile eggs to see what happened and as a bit of fun for the children. The broody hen has plucked a few chest feathers, looking after the eggs etc very well. The other Pekin is not leaving the nest but isn't really broody...I don't think, just sticking with her friend. This other Pekin is hindering things a little....when they do leave the nest to eat she's just sitting on any eggs and not doing a very good job....leaving some to go cold etc.

I don't really want to split them up but I also want to give the eggs the best chance of hatching. Also would splitting the up upset the broody hen and cause her to come off the nest.

Does any one have any advice on what I should do?

Many thanks!
 
It wouldn't upset the broody hen, all a broody wants to do is just to sit there, and this would give the eggs the best chance of hatching. You will probably need to separate the hens by the time the eggs hatch anyway, so it would be best to do it now. The hens may not get on once there are chicks around. Is it possible to divide your run with mesh and make a small temporary coop for the hen who isn't sitting? Then she won't feel lonely if she can see the broody, plus chicks, in time.
If you are going to have up to 10 chicks hatching, you are going to need a lot of space for the brood before very long, and they will need to be separated from Mum at about 6-8 weeks so they can move on from chick crumb to growers pellets. She will most likely be fed up with them by then and will be glad to return to living with her friend. At this point you will need a bigger run for the chicks when they start becoming growers. They will need separate feeding until they are 18 weeks old and can safely go on to layers pellets.
 
Thanks Marigold. Last night I separated the girls and make a make shift broody coop out of an old bathroom cabinet. Inventive I know! It was tricky as I wanted to keep the broody inside the coop as it's warmer there but as I have an Eglu Go space is very restrictive.

I'm concerned now though....my buff Pekin who is copying the broody was sat on one cold egg. When I picked her up though she had also plucked chest feathers. Should I have just left them both together? Thing is she kept standing on the very broody hen and putting her head under her wings and chest and disturbing her.

:-)07
 
They have both gone broody which isn't surprising with Pekins. I would keep them separate, don't let her disturb the broody, keep the one who isn't on eggs out of the coop and nestbox altogether as she won't be laying. I would put the broody in the Eglu and somehow partition the run so the other one can't get to the coop at all. The broody will need lifting out twice a day, but you can do this through the egg porthole. Leave the other one out in the run, no coop at all, with some plastic over the top to keep her dry if it rains. In an Eglu run she will be quite safe and at this time if year she won't be cold. This will break her of her broodiness much faster. She needs as much light as possible to shift her hormones, and the mild stress of not having a cosy nestbox will also break her as fast as possible. In. 3-4 days you can try returning the temporary nestbox/ coop and see if she shows any interest in the nestbox. If so, shut her out again for a day or two. She should then return to lay within 2-3 weeks.
This will be a recurring problem with Pekins, so next time, be watchful and start the treatment at the first signs, because then it will be much easier to break them of the habit. You really do need a second coop and run, though, if you intend to hatch chicks, and also later when you need to break broodies. When they hatch the mother won't appreciate any help from her friend, and in any case this tiny run will be far too overcrowded for any more than the two hens, as the chicks will grow very fast. As I said before, they will need yo be separated by 6-8 weeks and fed on growers pellets anyway. If you can get this sorted now, life will be a lot simpler for them, and for you.
 
Thanks Marigold. The buff Pekin is very persistent and cross with me. I have managed to source another temporary run so iI'll put her in that.

I'm really worrying though....I have moved the eggs twice today....very gently....when trying to relocate the hens. Will that have damaged them in anyway? I don't want to go through all this stress and not have single egg hatch (I chose eggs with a high fertility rate).

Thanks for your help. It's been invaluable.
 
So long as she's still sitting on them, you are unlikely to have harmed the eggs. The hen turns them daily in any case, doesn't she? Main problem is a hen deserting the eggs if they're moved to a different place but if she didn't mind, then she will be OK.
 
I think she' turns them....she tends to rock and shuffle on them....guess that's her turning them.

Other hen has come around to the idea of living solo for now. Made her a nice cosy home to live in. Not too cosy though....! The girls can still see each other through the mesh which I thought would also serve well when and if the chicks come along. Would help her get used to them.

We have kept the broody in the Eglu Go. We have the run extension on it so it should be fine for mum and chicks short term. We don't plan on keeping the chicks...it's more of a life experience for our two young children. We do have the extra run to use as a nursery ;)
 
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