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

[craftyhunnypie]

As you know Dusty is broody. Well when she got off her eggs for her food & fag breaks, Marlene our GL Wyandotte has pinched the broody status & Dusty's collection of eggs. Marlene the Wyandotte has been on them a few days now. But Dusty has taken to going in the nesting box next to Marlene & gathering eggs each day to sit on. We have to remove them daily from under her & get growled at & pecked.

We are putting Marlene in her nesting box into a broody coop area - in the shed at the weekend, when hubby has built it. Our dilemma is - do we also put Dusty in there in her box with no eggs under her ( she stills sits like a pancake on nothing)? Would Dusty also raise the chicks along with Marlene?

 

Emma.x

[craftyhunnypie]

Would be ok to candle a broodies eggs, while she goes for her food?

 

Emma.x

[craftyhunnypie]

Hope someone can advise on this dilemma.

 

Emma.x

[Lewis]

I'm not sure about them both raising the chicks, I'd probably split the eggs in half and let them both raise a couple.

 

You can candle the eggs when they're eating.

[Plum]

Feel a bit sorry for Dusty if they were her eggs to begin with. Women

Sorry I have no experience but have heard stories of joint chicken mothership.

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I read somewhere - can't remember where though, sorry !! - that two hens shared the incubation and raising of a clutch of eggs & hatchlings....if they are happy to sit together & share the eggs, then go for it I'd say!

 

BTW, I have no experience of broody/hatching though, so please feel free to ignore me

 

Sha x

[Phosphorus]

I would be inclined to keep them separate, but this is the first time I have done this so ..... just incase one attacked the others hatched chicks or managed to break some eggs due to lack of room. Having said that some people do have two together - I think it depends on the hens.

 

Yes you can candle whilst the hens are out for a break - however not sure if you need it to be dark to actually manage to see anything. Haven't candled mine so no experience (wish I had then I wouldn't be so nervous now )

[OwenLdn]

Oh I will be following this thread- as this is happening to my friend.

 

She has 2 hens sitting in the same nest box both incubating the same clutch of 6 eggs- or at least that's what it looks like- we cant see how many each one has under her- as it's a very tight squeeze in there.

 

It was only meant to be one hen in there but the little Silkie wouldnt stay out.

 

She was wondering what to do when the chicks are nearing hatching- would one try to take all the chicks or attack the other hens?

 

One more question- why do you have to separate the hen away from the rest of the flock when the chicks hatch? Do the other hens act aggressively towards them? Will they kill the chicks?

 

Thanks

Owen