I really need to get the new/bigger coop set up properly! Eeek!
Peach is sitting on 9 eggs that should hatch this week. I moved her and her eggs into the new coop last night . It is already occupied by 5 10-wk old chicks, but she settled onto her eggs just fine. I had to move her because the main coop is small, and Speckles and Bluebell have also went broody. Peach is bottom of the pecking order, and they kicked her out of her nest. I have a dozen EE eggs coming tomorrow so I may split them up and give 6 each to the other two ladies.
Can I use the new coop as a broody house and just give each of them a separate corner (8'X10' shed)? But not completely separated? Will 3 broodys get along all with chicks? What are your experiences with multiple broodys raising chicks?
Currently all chickens have the option of free ranging during the day (except Peach who I locked in for the day so her GPS resets)
Multiple broodies...how to manage?
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windwalkingwolf
- Poultry Guru - pullet level
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Re: Multiple broodies...how to manage?
If you put them all together, where they can hear each other, there's a small possibility that when Peach's eggs hatch, that one or both of the others will abandon her nest and try to take Peach's chicks from her. There's also a (greater) possibility that when Speckles and Bluebells' eggs hatch, if their chicks come anywhere near Peach or her babies, that Peach will hurt the new chicks.
Sometimes they all get along and things go smoothly, but most times, not so much. Mama's get cranky if they can't get their babies away from other hens at first light. If you can't separate them all, you can try covering windows to keep the coop blacked out until you can let them out in the morning.
Sometimes they all get along and things go smoothly, but most times, not so much. Mama's get cranky if they can't get their babies away from other hens at first light. If you can't separate them all, you can try covering windows to keep the coop blacked out until you can let them out in the morning.
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Re: Multiple broodies...how to manage?
Good luck with the incubator. I put one of my broodies to work...she my Swedish flower hens now has 5 little silkies under her...
and my incubator is on day 7 of my next hatch......it's an addiction 
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Re: Multiple broodies...how to manage?
As long as you have somewhere to put all of them!
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