feemcg Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Hi folks......long time and all that......I've put eggs under Maisie, a very broody bantam Brahma. It's the first time I've tried with a broody.....incubator is boxed up but I haven't quite managed to advertise it for sale yet .....was wondering if anyone has left the broody with the rest of the flock rather than a separate run or cage?.....I was just thinking that in a natural environment, say a farm, the farmer doesn't run round segregating all the birds, they just get on with it and the mother protects her young.......anybody got any experience of this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 I think its asking for trouble personally A breeder near me does leave all of his chooks together with broodies but the broodies and chicks always go to bed in a separate house but his birds have masses of space to stay out of trouble! With the average smallish space most people have to offer their chooks I dont think its worth the risk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Same here. I'd keep them separate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Me too........apart from anything else, if someone laid near Maisie she'd scoop those eggs under her too, making for confusion & wasted eggs all round Good luck with her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Yes, separate them. If no spare coop, then a fenced off area of a garage or shed will be fine. As long as mummy hen has a cosy nestbox, food & water & is out of any drafts - she'll be fine. She needs to be separate from the others & safe from predators too. Good luck. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted March 25, 2011 Author Share Posted March 25, 2011 Thanks.....she's sitting in an eglu which another 2 use to sleep in but not lay in. I'm putting the rabbits back outside and she can have their winter run. I knew this was standard practice but was just curious if anyone had tried not separating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 Last year I had four broodies and their respective chicks all free ranging in a separate part of the garden. Two of the broodies were sharing a coop but the others had a coop each. The two sharing sat together, hatched together and shared the care of all of their chicks. All of the chicks knew to stay close to their respective mums because if they didn't they'd get told off by the other mums. I guess it depends on the temperaments of the chooks involved but I am sure a good broody could raise chicks with other hens around. In a farm environment I guess too that she might lose one or two chicks and you'd have to be prepared for that to happen. Last year when I broke my toe and wasn't able to tend to my chooks for a few days I did lose one chick. Tiger had some Polands who were a few days old. They were in a rabbit hutch and run which was inside my main chicken run. My OH didn't close her run properly and I am assuming one of her chicks escaped through a small gap. The chick was never seen again so I can only assume that it was killed by my other hens. I do think though that if Tiger hadn't been stuck in her run she would've protected her babies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
