My babies have two mothers

[HunkieDorie23]

OK, I don't know if anyone can answer this or it this is going to be a problem. I had two hens go broody at the same time, so I let them both set on eggs. The hatches started within about an hour of each other. One of the other hens killed the second chick born so I moved both brooders into my brooder box and put them onto different ends and hoped for the best. Well at first it was ok, then they started setting on the same nest, I moved the other eggs over but I think it seriously effected that hatch because the othe nest had been abandoned for hours.

Anyone now they are both sitting on the chicks together. Is this going to be a problem when I move them out of the box. The chicks seems to have no preference over the hens, the hens want all the chicks for themselves. They are fighting just pushing each other. Should I take one of the hens out. I kinda like the two mother concept because I am afraid the other hens will be rough with the chicks when I move them back into the chicken coop and two are better then one.

 

[Collector]

What a dilema Hunkie, I hope they dont injur the chicks while they are jockying for position on the nest!

 

[Ridgerunner]

They are living animals. About anything can happen. They may work together to take care of the chicks. They may fight for control of the chicks, either injuring each other or maybe even injuring or killing an innocent chick bystander. There are other things that can happen.

Over on the chicken forum, you get all kinds of stories about how broodies cooperate in taking care of the chicks, but you also get stories of disasters. This is not a yes or no, right or wrong way of doing it. Each situation is different.

Personally, I'd give the chicks to one and break the other from being broody. My broodies raise the chicks by themselves with the flock and do fine. I think there are fewer things that can go wrong with just one broody. But many people are successful with dual non-dueling broodies.

 

[desertlady]

oh so sad, jealousy gets in the way !!

 

[retiredwith4acres]

I had two to nest together and they raised their chicks together. Did fantastic job also!

 

[vfem]

I've had it go both ways... I get several broodies and several hatches because of it. Somehow, most the time they know their own chicks, but my silkies just stick it out and raise them all as their own.

Doesn't always work out so well since hen mama's are bossy and protective to the extreme!