# Two hens setting on one nest



## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Has anyone ever had this happen? How did your hens solve it? 

I have 2 hens currently setting together on one nest. Will they share raising the chicks? Will they split up the crew and each take some? Will they abandon them? Might they fight over the chicks? 

It will be fun to see how they handle this. But first, they will have to get them down from a corner-mounted water bowl. It's 3 1/2 feet from the floor. Maybe I should put a pile of hay under them?


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## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

Callieslamb said:


> Has anyone ever had this happen? How did your hens solve it?
> 
> I have 2 hens currently setting together on one nest. Will they share raising the chicks? Will they split up the crew and each take some? Will they abandon them? Might they fight over the chicks?
> 
> It will be fun to see how they handle this. But first, they will have to get them down from a corner-mounted water bowl. It's 3 1/2 feet from the floor. Maybe I should put a pile of hay under them?


I have had 4 hens trying to set in one nest, one of the hens was sitting on top of another hens back because of no more room. If I want to set more than the one hen, I put some eggs in a nesting box next to this nest then I move a hen into that nest. I have actually moved 2 hens to 2 other nest beside the one they were all in and had 3 hens setting. 2 of the 3 hens would be switched nest every day or so, I did not bother them and they hatched out the eggs. Any hen I do not want to set---goes into Jail to keep them from disturbing the hens that are setting. OH---Jail is a cage/s I keep the hen/s in till she/they gets out the setting mood.


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## fffarmergirl (Oct 9, 2008)

We haven't had much success when hens have committed to setting and then other hens have got in with them. We wind up with extra eggs in the nest, broken eggs, etc. When we have a hen who has truly settled down, we move her into her own little protected area and let her set in peace.


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## Becka (Mar 15, 2008)

We had two hens on one nest once. We wound up with a dead chick and BOTH hens abandoning the nest, and we had to incubate the eggs. If it happened again, I'd give one hen the eggs and separate her from the others.


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## sherry in Maine (Nov 22, 2007)

seems that one of my hens is laying her eggs in broody hen's nest . . . . at first, she'd (broody hen) sit them, but now has exceeded her 'limit' . .. . I have moved other nests away from her, but dont know if that'll do the trick. Dont want to move mommy hen, cause afraid she'll abandon nest either way .. . .. .


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

Like others said it doesn't usually work out too well. Eggs get broken, chicks get mashed. Best to lock one or both of them up in separate places with their own eggs. 

Don't ever worry about new chicks falling from heights. Their fluff makes them bouncy. They survive falls (jumps actually, mom calls them down) from a lot higher than you mentioned with no injury. They're very resilient.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

sherry in Maine said:


> seems that one of my hens is laying her eggs in broody hen's nest . . . . at first, she'd (broody hen) sit them, but now has exceeded her 'limit' . .. . I have moved other nests away from her, but dont know if that'll do the trick. Dont want to move mommy hen, cause afraid she'll abandon nest either way .. . .. .


You should be able to move her at night. Regardless, next time that happens mark the original eggs that were under the hen then reach under her every day and remove the newly laid ones. If she has more under her than she can cover you have to remove some because as she turns and rotates the eggs most of them at some point will end up on the outside edges and they'll chill and die.


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

We've had chickens and ducks on one nest as well as chickens with chickens. Usually one or the other gives up. Those eggs never hatched just rotted. Way too many eggs in the nest. We have better luck with hatching and survival by using the incubator.

Now, if dh had put hen and hatched chicks in a safe confinement those chicks would have survived.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Thanks everyone. I don't think there are new eggs in there. They have both been on the nest for 2 weeks. I tried moving a setting hen once and it didn't work out so I've resisted doing that. She abandoned the nest thought I did do it at night. I will try tomorrow night and see what I can manage. Even if I just divide the eggs between them. I'd like them to both hatch some chicks.


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## sherry in Maine (Nov 22, 2007)

I think I will erect one of those wire panel 'dog playpens' around broody hen. Will put water and feed . .. . it's a small coop, will she just poop within the fenced in area? I never see her move, but she must . .. .


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

Callieslamb said:


> Thanks everyone. I don't think there are new eggs in there. They have both been on the nest for 2 weeks. I tried moving a setting hen once and it didn't work out so I've resisted doing that. She abandoned the nest thought I did do it at night. I will try tomorrow night and see what I can manage. Even if I just divide the eggs between them. I'd like them to both hatch some chicks.


If you're worried about it you can put their nests in milk crates, put them in and cover the crates with wire for a day. Have the area (preferably small dark and isolated from a lot of activity) completely ready, wait till it's good and dark, move them quickly and with as little fuss as possible them leave them alone.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.


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## Judy in IN (Nov 28, 2003)

Good luck whatever you do. 

We just moved a Black Sexlink that was broody up to the farm in a poultry carrier with the flock. Once here, she barged in on a little bantam Partridge Barnvelder hen that was broody. In less than a week, the first chick hatched and was on the floor with the big chickens, while Mom stayed on the nest. Luckily, it had it's new Auntie down there to protect it. 

As the first four chicks hatched, they joined up with the Black Sexlink. The last four stayed in the nest with the bantam. 

When I went to collect the chicks, the Black Sexlink wanted to EAT MY LIVER! The little bantam ran. Who do you think got ALL of the chicks in her own tractor? Yep, Auntie Pit Bull. 

She is very happy without all of the commotion of the flock around. 

I've had varying scenarios develop with broody hens. You never know what you'll get. 

I recommend that you split them up if you truly want a success.


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## cayenne47 (Nov 7, 2004)

I had a little black silkie and a banty mix sitting on one nest. They hatched the eggs and the babies ran with both mamas, who hung out together. The 'kids' are about 2 months old and the banty is back broody on a nest while the silkie has taken over parenthood.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Well the worst that will happen is that I will have to buy more chicks next year. I'd have to spend some time with the chick catalogs this winter. Poor me. I'm going to try to move them tonight. Each her own next. I hope to leave one where they are and put the other in a milk crate. The barn is dark and quiet all day so that won't be a problem. 

Thanks again!


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I thought I would put out an update here.

Dh and I did go out and move one of the hens. It was like taking our lives in our own hands even after dark. LOL!!! Those hens will protect their nest. We moved one and 7 eggs to another water-trough thing in a different stall in the barn. Exact location 3 feet up in the air. I put some water and feed close to her. She was there the next morning and through the next week.

A week after moving one hen, the other one hatched 2 whole chicks. Out of the 12 eggs she had. (maybe the heat kept the other eggs from being fertile? When I tossed them they were eggs not underdeveloped chicks). One chick was on the floor and one still up in the nest so I put the 2nd one on the floor with mom. The hen we moved was still setting. I watched her closely for a couple days - no chicks. Yesterday, I sent DS out to check on her. I was afraid a chick would be left up in the nest with no food for too long. She'd moved herself back to the original nest in the coop. Our coop is a stall in the barn. We put wire around the open areas so the chickens stay where they are supposed to be. I do not know how she got from a different stall in the barn back into the coop area. We keep the barn closed up so the chickens can't get inside except into the 'coop'. Chickens are enterprising creatures. I have no idea how many eggs she has now. She will be setting back from day 1 rather than day 20. I have 15 hens. 1 is busy raising chicks and 1 is setting and I got 13 eggs yesterday. I doubt that she has many. I admire her determination.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

Maybe this time she'll be more successful. Are you going to give her more eggs?


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

She's been setting for 5 weeks already. Will she set for 3 more weeks? I was planning to give her more eggs. Probably some of my marans or speckled sussex eggs. Maybe 6 of them since I don't need a ton of new birds to carry through winter.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

Depends, some hens will set that long. Is she getting too thin?


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

It's probably better if you give her a rest from brooding already, and let her gain back her strength and some of the weight she's lost from 5 weeks of barely eating otherwise she could be too weak come winter. You said you don't need more chicks for winter anyway.
I just had to break a broody hen now because young chicks in freezing temperatures at night, never mind being immature in the winter, is just asking for a disaster.

Once I have a broody committed to setting I throw out all the eggs under her because they could be all at different stages of development. Then I give her at least a dozen of marked eggs all at once so they will hatch all at once. 
Every day I check the nest and remove any unmarked eggs that were just laid, but if there is any broken ones then I move the broody to a secluded location where she won't be bothered. 
Usually after the chicks hatch I will keep them separated from the rest of the flock for about a week until they get stronger.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

She isn't too thin. I put food and water right beside her and she eats a good portion of it every day. There's time for the chicks to be big enough for winter. I tried breaking her from setting. I put her in a dog crate for a few days (with food and water). I tossed her off for days in a row. I read about letting her set on a bucket of ice water for a few minutes...... The only problem is if she sets 1/2 way and THEN decides to give up. She's taken up the favorite egg-laying place for a long time.


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

Put her in a cage with a wire bottom if you want to break her broodiness. What I do is put the hen into a different pen and have no nests or anything resembling a nest for her to sit on and usually they quit the broodiness by day 3. 
I know it then takes their body a few days to start the egg production again and they lay a dozen or more eggs and then think that's enough to go broody again...lol


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I'm just going to let her be. Maybe she'll give up before too long. I know it's a hormone thing. Hers have been going strong for a while.


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## countryfied2011 (Jul 5, 2011)

We had two hens sitting together and they hatched the eggs and both took care of the peeps


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