Broody hens.

[Snadger]

I have a small white silky bantam that went broody. Fair enough sez I, I'll let her sit on the eggs she has and get on with it. Over a period of days when other hens wer laying in the nestbox next to hr she dragged the eggs under her. She finished up sitting on a pyramid of eggs.
A couple of days ago I oped the two hen nestbox to find FOUR chooks all crammed in and apparently broody.
As I have never had this happen before I am unsure what to do? At present I am letting nature take its course to see what happens. I'm not worried that I will have no eggs to eat, but dare bet there are 2 dozen eggs under this mass of broody hens.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Nicos]

Ha!
Are you sure the others aren't trying to lay?

We've had this several times with our banties...very funny to see...do take a piccie or you'll regret it!

Are they fertile eggs?

I think you'll need to separate the original chook( block access to the laying box 24/7 and let her out for a drink and a stretch and poop and nigh once a day) if you want the eggs to hatch
I'd imagine she's not big enough to cover them properly?

Give the other gals access to other laying boxes .....

[Snadger]

Ha!
Are you sure the others aren't trying to lay?

We've had this several times with our banties...very funny to see...do take a piccie or you'll regret it!

Are they fertile eggs?

I think you'll need to separate the original chook( block access to the laying box 24/7 and let her out for a drink and a stretch and poop and nigh once a day) if you want the eggs to hatch
I'd imagine she's not big enough to cover them properly?

Give the other gals access to other laying boxes .....

They have all been there for at least two days jostling for position! PS I have two cockerels (Father and Son) in the flock so there's a good chance eggs are fertile.

[Nicos]

Ha!...so funny, and yet very sweet!
It's my banties which do that as well .

If you leave things as they are, some eggs will accidentally be crushed.
Also.....how can you tell which are the original eggs(how long have they been covered)

Thing is, mommy hen will only sit on eggs for 2-3 days after the first chicks hatch, then she'll abandon the rest-even if they have live chicks inside them.
Her priority will be to teach the live chicks how to find food, and not hang on for potentially viable chicks which were laid a few days later.
Also, as it's a 'pinch and cover what you can situation, you'll find the odd escapee egg which gas been allowed to go cold...so they die.

Tis a very confusing situation to be in to be honest.

We used to mark the original chook eggs with a pencil X in case that situation occurred, then furtle out any new ones.
Now we just put the broody in a separate cage within the laying area.

Too many wasted eggs and potential chicks to hold down that route!

If you want chicks, I suggest you pick a couple of broodies and split the eggs between then, and keep them separate from the other chooks-and each other as they will swap nests or share one nest and ignore their own clutch.

If the clutch of eggs is getting bigger then at least you still have some non broodies!

[Snadger]

Here they re in full broodiness mode!

[Nannysally99]

What's that old saying?
New house, new baby
I think your chooks are just loving their new home

[Nicos]

Aww...those look so sweet!

So...what are your plans?

[Snadger]

Aww...those look so sweet!

So...what are your plans?

Let nature take its course and stand back in awe!

[mothhawk]

They look really sweet, Snadge, but....

You may find they will argue about whose chicks they are when they hatch out, and some chicks may get pecked and injured, possibly killed in the argy bargy. I had that happen when I left two banties on one lot of eggs. After that, I always separated them, either with two nests, or excluding one bantie completely from the nest.

Banties do love to all lay eggs in the same spot, so of course they all think they have a claim to the eggs and hatchlings.

[Snadger]

I knew that three of the chooks were still sitting so I decided i needed to have some shallow water ready in case any hatched. The only water container I had was actually a small feed container so i filled the bottom section with water. As I leaned over the chooks to put the water in the coop the middle one jumped at me and lo and behold I got a glimpse of a stripy chick!

She was sitting on the middle clutch of eggs, whereas yesterday she as itting on the left clutch no with another bantam sitting on them.
They seem to shuffle round so I just wonder whether they will form a co-operative and look after the chicks collectively?

Had to rush up to Jollies and get some chick crumb and a small plastic drinker for the chicks. In the mean time, and solely to tide them through today, I mashed up some layers pellets with water and put them in an eggbox to at least give them something.


I hope everything works out ok and any chicks that hatch survive.

Snadge is a Daddy onece again!

[Jay-ell]

Are you already picking names?
Lemon, Chasseur, Teriyaki ?

[Nannysally99]

Many congrats Snadge, hope the pictures are on here soon

[veggiechicken]

Congratulations on your new family!

[Snadger]

Only one up til now but here's hoping! I always get excited and amazed when nature takes over!

[Nicos]

Lovely news Snadge ...fingers crossed for some more!