Broody hens

[Shellintons]

I have just obtained 2 small chook pens with houses so I can put a broody hen in each and have somewhere for the chicks when they hatch. I currently have 2 incubators on the go and some Light sussex that go broody at the drop of a hat. So as soon as these new homes have been built, in go the eggs and new mums. My question is, can I put 2 hens in each one? They are each big enough for 4 hens and have 2 nest boxes in each. Will 2 broody hens be ok with each other once the chicks come along? If so I can get 4 hens on the nest with all the eggs I have. If not, I may be ebaying some fertile eggs lol
Thanks

[kirsty b]

I had 2 go broody at the same time last year who were as good as gold together and shared motherhood of 11 chicks, but I have been told its not always that way and having hens together can sometimes create problems. I was just lucky it would seem

[di]

I don't totally understand what you're doing?
Have you already started eggs off in tghe incubator and you're hoping the hens will adopt/take over brooding half way through?

The first time we hatched with a broody last year Marigold did most of the sitting...my crapness meant I missed the fact her nest was infested by mite so she came off about day eighteen and her sister took over.They both shared the job of being Mummy,although Dandelion was very much in charge and Marigold seemed happy to just do as was needed of her...I guess it depends on the hens and how well they get along normally?

[Bramble-Poultry]

shellintons - as mentioned above, a lot will depend on the nature of the two individual birds. we have a relentless broody pekin here who will sit through anything with anyone, but we have another warren hen that if you try and check the eggs she is sat on, you will withdraw with a bloody stump where your arm once was. and she is like that to all comers, human or bird, hence she gained the name Atilla the Hen. but when she isnt broody, she is as right as rain with everyone!

the best thing to do is to try the two together first, if they dont get on sitting together then you have the spare run. if they do get on, then you can fill up the other run!!

Obviously, start them off on a fresh set of eggs as they will be gearing themselves up for a 21 day sit in and they must complete it!

[mr darcy]

i think all this broody stuff is amazing, so much want to do it but scared of the resulting cockerells and having to cull because i'm such a big baby

[Shellintons]

Thanks for all the replies.
I have a couple of hens who have previously sat on eggs which had been in the incubator. Electricity went off and I tried them in desperation. They didn't mess about and got straight on them and were really good mums. So I wanted to do this again. But finances held up the purchase of the coops and because Hector is doing a great job (Thanks Jenny & Mike) I fired up the incubator and stuck some eggs in, just to see how fertile he was. nearly two weeks in and there is something in every egg.
I also have some nice bantams and a cock and because this one is a bit less friendly than Hector, I wanted to see if he is throwing of a good portion of girls, so in went the eggs. So 2 inccy's running and pens to be used I am going to see if I can get the girls on the eggs again so I don't have to worry about the chicks. I am in my final term of my degree and really didn't think it through. Mother hens can do a better job than I at looking after the chicks right now. A little more thought on my part may have seen me better organised.
I'll give it a go and see how it pans out.
Thanks again

[di]

Dandelion was only sat on Marigolds eggs for a matter of days...we had lots of negative comments from some of the experienced boys at the lottie that she'd be nowhere near ready to be a mum when they hatched....she was perfect!
You can only try....hope it all works out for you.

[Hilary B]

I remember hearing of people buying day-old chicks to give to a broody hen. As far as I know, they were not always after 21 days. I don't think hens can count that well, or how would they sometimes cope with hatching ducklings (which take 4 weeks) or goslings (which take 5)?
Obviously needs to be more than a few days, but I wuld have thought anything over 'halfway' was worth a try!