The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: cluckyclaire on April 24, 2009, 09:31:59 am

Title: broody hens
Post by: cluckyclaire on April 24, 2009, 09:31:59 am

I have 4 hens who have all decided it seems to go broody on me at the same time. Would it be ok to house the four together and give them all some fertile eggs to hatch? Or would they attack each others chicks? Haven't got enough pens to seperate them all!!!!

Title: Re: broody hens
Post by: shetlandpaul on April 24, 2009, 01:15:27 pm

i would not have four hens together you could have problems. do you have space for smallish carboard boxs and put one in each they then wont see each other. plus you just burn the lot afterwards.

Title: Re: broody hens
Post by: pigsatlesrues on April 24, 2009, 02:02:24 pm

I agree, not a good idea to have them in close proximity.  Do you have a spare rabbit hutch at all? You could separate that into two compartments, that splits them off nicely, leaving plenty of space for the other two.  If you are donating eggs to them, stagger them.  That way they wont all hatch at the same time either.

Kate  :chook: :pig:

Title: Re: broody hens
Post by: sabrina on April 28, 2009, 06:56:03 pm

From what I have read they will fight over the eggs and if one lot hatch out before the others their is a risk of the other hens leaving their eggs when they hear cheeping chicks. :chook: