4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[mrsm_jones]

I had a broody maran about 5 weeks ago. We put 6 eggs under her and went on hols, leaving a friend in charge. When we got back, we had a broody orpington too, who was sat on the eggs, and the still broody maran was sitting on nothing!

 

On hatching day, 4 eggs hatched, but we found one of the little chicks in the nest with the maran! and the rest under the orp, who had only been broody for 5 days! Now, our house is up on stilts, so we had to move one mum and the chicks. We didn't have room for 2 mums. We moved the orp and the maran's chick too into the broody coop, then had a brainwave of moving the maran into the rabbit hutch. She wasn't happy about it, and we decided it was too dangerous to try introducing her chick back to her, and we just let the orp keep all the chicks.

 

However...the maran is now out of the nest, and spends her days on the floor of the run, gazing longingly at the orp and her chicks. She seems depressed, like she is sad she doesn't have any chicks. The chicks are now just over a week old. I was thinking...If I put the mummy orp and her chicks into a cat-box inside the main run, would the maran help the orp look after the chicks and would the hciks be ok??? It's a very harmonious flock I have just now. Even when the maran was broody with no eggs, she would move aside for one of the others to lay with no hassle.

 

What do you think Should I try putting them in the same run with a separate house, or should I leave them apart, and just let the maran look at her chick through bars???

[The Dogmother]

It's a gamble, but I'd be tempted to rry the Maran in with the orp and chicks, under strict supervision of course. It's an unusual situation, but it might just work. Be prepared to haul the Maran out though if trouble starts.

 

I wouldn't introduce them to the rest of the flock just yet though.

[mrsm_jones]

The broody coop isn't really big enough for both hens, so it would have to be all or nothing! The rest of the flock are 2 extremely stupid but placid cochins! (formerly known as feather-footed Orpingtons!)

[The Dogmother]

Oh dear, can you fence off part of the bigger run for them?

[mrsm_jones]

Um, not really. The broody coop is just next to the main run, so it's like a separated run anyway. Will just let her get on with it I think. She can't pine forever....can she?