2 BROODY HENS NEED ADVICE FAST

[tinydancer009]

I have a very small flock of chicken and one of them went broody so I decided I would get eggs for her because my incubator try was a fail. The eggs are going along greatly. Sadly we lost one towards the beginning but I ran into a problem about 2-3 days ago... my eggs are very close to hatching, hatch day is this Saturday the 12. My problem is we just lost another because it was smashed. 2-3 days ago another hen decided to join in and she went broody, but the 2 hens are always on top of each other and I’m worried they might crush more eggs or when the eggs hatch they will not be able to breath or get out! I need help quick!

 

[Birdie mom]

Hello!

Is it possible to separate the two broody hens? Like fencing off the area where the first hen was laying, so that she can finish hatching her eggs?

 

[Acre4Me]

How many eggs are left?

I’d try to separate the momma hen (who has sat for the duration) with her eggs. If you or a friend has a large dog crate, then great. Add some finer mesh around the walls to keep in the chicks.

if the current nest box is such that you can just block it off (with plastic mesh, or metal HWC, etc) then that is easiest. If you can make it large enough for momma to get up and walk around and have a spot to eat, that is better.

good luck

 

[tinydancer009]

So I can separate them but midnight( the newly broody hen) dug a hole and sat in it. I’m going to get some pictures and try to explain a little bit more!!

 

[tinydancer009]

The brown hen on top is mavis the original mother/ broody hen... these are the only 2 nesting boxes we have for our hens because it is a small flock

This next picture is our coop, the little house is what the broody hens are in
I can close the door to that whole house/ thing in the corner, I can put food and water in the bottom section of the house. But then I run into the problem that the other hens have nowhere to lay their eggs. I also have a dog crate if that works best it’s small and I don’t know if it would fit food and water for mavis. Soooo what should I do

 

[cassie]

You need to find another place for the broody one way or the other.

 

[GoatGirl123]

I would separate the other one so as not to disturb mama and make her quit

 

[tinydancer009]

The first broody one or the second?

 

[tinydancer009]

Should I separate them by closing the house door or completely moving the mama into a dog pen?

 

[GoatGirl123]

The one who just went broody, who is not hatching the eggs, close the door to keep her out