…… Two Broodies: One Nest —— What should I do?

[Barry Natchitoches]

I have two ladies whose genetics is mostly Silkies.

One lady decided to go broody about two weeks ago, so when I was sure she was dedicated to fulfill the job, I gave her five eggs to sit on. Those eggs are in Day #9 of the incubation period.

She has been very diligent about sitting on her eggs.

But yesterday, I went out there and opened up the door to the egg laying area - and my second Silkie was sitting in the same nest with the first broodie, sharing responsibility for sitting on those five eggs. They are both calm and contented to share the same nest and the same eggs, or so it looks to me.

Today, the same thing - the two are both sitting in the same nest, sitting on the same clutch of five eggs.

My question: Should I separate them and give the second lady her own set of eggs to sit on, or should I let them share brooding responsibilities even until their egg hatchings about 10 days from now?

Is it likely the two would be willing to co-mother the babies when they are finally hatched, if I close off the compartment where they are brooding to the rest of the birds, and leave just the two of them with the new hatchlings?

 

[ioujc]

I think you should let them share the nest unless problems arise where they begin to fight or there is bulling. I have no experience in this area with chickens, so I am DEFINITELY NOT an expert. I bet Summer thyme would have heard of this or knows more about it.

I have, however had this happen several times with cats. They shared nursing responsibilities and both cleaned each other's kittens as well. When it came time to teach them to hunt, they took turns bringing in live birds, mice and lizards to each other's kittens. Was MOST INTERESTING to watch!!

 

[Marseydoats]

My neighbor had Dominiques who shared a nest and everything was fine. After the chicks hatched, ALL his hens protected them and looked after them. Whichever hen was closest to anything they deemed a threat would call the chicks and cover them up, and the other hens would go attack the intruder. They killed a rather large black snake that got too close to their babies.
I'd just leave them alone unless they start fighting.

 

[Lighthouse Lady]

Silkies are famous for their “co-mothering”. Now I wouldn’t let a couple of Rhode Island Reds do that, lol, but like others have said, as long as they don’t fight or bully the chicks, all should be well.

 

[Tonic]

Separate before they hatch. If you try and slip chicks to a hen during the day she won’t accept them, might even try and kill them. I wouldn’t take the chance. Give the second hen her own eggs.

 

[Displaced hillbilly]

I would let them co parent. At least they have each other for back up. Better than fighting with each other for eggs. We didn’t have any broodies at all last year. No rooster with them either so i guess it was for the best. We don’t have a great set up for a broody mama dinosaur anyway.

 

[paxsim2]

I would leave them be unless there's trouble.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

The hens hatched at least two - but most probably four or five babies - between the two of them. They have been lying in their own nest since I separated them a week or so ago, patiently waiting the arrival of new babies.

I spread the eggs between the two of them so both would have babies to hatch at the same time. They are in a safe enclosure - the closed off top housing floor of a pre-fab chicken coop I built mostly for excess birds. So the ladies have a quiet place, undisturbed by other chickens. They have plenty of water to drink, and I switched them from layer pellets to starter crumbles about a week ago to get the food dish ready for the new arrivals.

I can open the door by the nests to keep an eye on things. Up until this morning, the ladies just sat in their respective nests, quietly brooding away their days.

This morning, though, I heard what sounded like complaints from a new arrival, so I opened up the door and found two little ones who had wandered out of their mother’s nest and then could not climb back in. (It was a bit too far for the little ones to climb back up there, after they got down off the nest.).

So I scooped the two newborns up, brought them into the house for their “birthday pictures,” then I put them back - carefully tucking one baby under the wing of each mother hen. To date, they have not gotten out those nests again, but remain under the cover of their broody mom.

After that finding, I checked about once an hour during the rest of the day. The two broodies were sitting on the nest each time I checked on them. Any babies - successfully hatched or stll in the process of breaking out - were tucked away, out of my sight.

But one time when I opened up the nest door, I saw two big, stinking piles of broody poop out on the floor away from the nests. I know they will not get off the nest (at least not during the last 48 hours or so of their brooding journey) as long as there are still babies breaking out of their shells, so I figure all the babies who will be hatched must be hatched by now.

But the mother hens are still sitting in their respective nests as I write this, keeping the little newborns warm and well protected under their beautiful white wings...

And out of my sight...

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

Crazy. Ladies.

The final count of hatched babies between the two little ladies turned out to be only three - two black copper Marans and a light brahma-Delaware mix.

They have an entire small housing unit - complete with three identical nests - all to themselves. Up until today, each hen occupied one nest, which was the way I placed them while they were deep “in the brood.”

But now the hens are active again, co-mothering the three little babies.

I keep an eye on them, because I want to make sure the babies remain safe,

To night, I went outside just before lights out time to make sure they were bedding down OK.

And what did I find?

Two little mother hens and three babies all nestled snuggly in a single nest, while the other two IDENTICAL nests were empty.

Crazy ladies!