Co-broodies?

[Blisschick]

I have my frizzle pullet and my silkie hen both sharing the same nest. They are sitting on 5 BLRW eggs. I figured since they'd be hatching out mixed chicks if they sat on their own eggs, I'd give them some purebred eggs to hatch.

For those who've probably had this situation, what was the usual result of this? Do the hens share the chicks, or does one take them away from the other? If I have to, I can dole out two to one and three to the other.

 

[Orpingtonlover]

I had this same thing happen to me last month i had a rhode island red and a Buff Orpington Setting on the same nest when the chicks hatched some chicks went with one and the other chicks went with the other granted it only happened once for me but thats how is went and they didn't seem to mind sharing the eggs.

 

[robin416]

Update on my co- broodies. The one Silkie hen that had been on the nest the longest left the nest yesterday with the hatched chicks. The other is still on the nest hoping she will hatch whatever eggs are left. Its a possibility since she was sneaking in and adding an egg or two of her own.

I just hope the leftover broody does better than she did last time, she abandoned the single chick she hatched.

 

[Blisschick]

Yeah, I have to check daily because the other hens in the pen with them will either lay in with them (how they cram into the box is beyond me

), in the feeder, or in the next box above them. All the eggs they're on were given on the same day, so I know they'll hatch at the same time. I started with six, but candled them yesterday and found that only 5 were good. Then I was real smart and dropped the rotten egg right inside the front door when I was taking the eggs back out.

 

[Picco]

I have never had a single broody hen, mine always seem to pair up. I have had several clutches hatch and were raised by both mothers without incident. I ran in to my first problem last year. My hens who peacefully incubated eggs together got into a horrible fight a couple days after the chicks hatched. I had to separate them but since I only had three chicks I left them with the better mother of the two.

Here are a few picks. The white hen is a BTW japanese bantam and the buff hen is a BTB japanese/cochin bantam cross. The chicks are from both hens and were fathered by a blue splash cochin bantam.

Another year a mille fleur hatched out a few chicks with the help of by buff hen

 

[ozark hen]

what awesome pictures...I love the little blue chick

I am new and don't know my breeds yet but these are all beautiful.