[frenchliving]

Ok - I have had two broddy hens sitting on the same 4 eggs, I have posted a couple of times what to do. We have been trying and now have managed to build a bigger coop/run for them, we have 2 hens and a cockerel at present.

Last Saturday a chick arrived, and now small hen has gone free range with"her" chick and the cockerel for most of the day and they seem to be all getting on fine.
Big Hen is still sitting on 2 eggs (not sure where the 3rd went) but is almost a week overdue, I dont think anything will happen to these eggs but I want to remove them. Mrs Big Hen has not been moving much and when trying to coax her out to eat/drink etc, she is VERY agressive - all hens are sharing at night and seem to be ok.

The question is do I remove eggs and will Mrs big hen still be ok with the new chick, my thinking is to put small hen and her chick in the new area as its bigger, and leave Big hen and the cockerel in the old coop so that they can free range. This way my chick will be protected from magpies/buzzards etc and the other hen, and they can socialise through the cage - OR do I just let them continue to share in the evening and try and keep the chick and small hen in during the day? The small hen is very protective over her chick, so they maybe ok? Just not sure what to do if they fight?

Suggestions please. ps (i think my chick is a cockerel - one week old is that too young to tell!)

[ANHBUC]

Sounds like a good idea to put the broody and chick in the new coop/run.  The larger broody might try and take the chick if she has none of her own.  This could result in a dead chick. 

If you are sure the eggs are not viable it would be best to break the broodiness.  You will need to remove the eggs and hen from the coop and not let her back in the nest box during the day.  As long as she has shelter, food and water she should be fine.  If she persists to be broody you may have to put her in a broody box so she is not comfortable enough to sit (again with food, water and shelter.  Most members use a dog crate for this.   

[frenchliving]

Thanks - shortly after posting this Big hen decided to come out and stretch her legs for a while, I quickly ran to the coop and removed the one egg remaining (where do they go??) cleaned out the straw. She was out a while today and in fact I thought she had probably had enough of sitting, she went around with the others for a while, so I think she will be ok with the new chick.

The new place is almost finished we just need to put wire over the roof (just for now) but rain and a 15 month old have prevented us doing this today.

I still think I will put new chick and little hen in the new place for now, even like I say its just to prevent chick getting taken away.

[joyfull]

as the chick and the broody should be fed on chick crumb then yes do separate them even if it is just for a couple of hours in the morning and afternoon so that they get their proper feed and that the others don't eat it. If the chick crumb is medicated then the other hen should not be eating it anyway and any eggs she lays would need throwing away.

[frenchliving]

Thanks Joyfull, didnt realise that. I have put a couple of pots of chick crumb around thinking they all could share, and leaving the "normal" food in the run, (although like I said the presnet one is very small - they dont really use it) its more to keep them a little bit safer at night!

I will move these, and put normal food down, and do as you suggested.

Big Hen is out and about today - she is a little distant ut I am sure she will settle back down!

Must get proper names for these hens, know I am talking about them so much!