Chick kidnapped by aggressive broody hen. Help

[DragonHorseMan]

I have 2 hens (Blackie and Whitey). Blackie is the top of the pecking order and is quite aggressive to Whitey especially at feeding times.

A feral Rooster made its way into my yard and mated with them both. Whitey went broody and hatched one of the fertilized eggs, she then lost interest in hatching the balance of eggs and found a corner of the coop to nest with the chick (aka Cheeky)

The next day Blackie went broody so I put the other eggs under her but after 5 weeks none hatched, so I removed the eggs and buried them.

Blackie remained broody, and then lo and behold she started attacking Whitey and started to separate her from the Cheeky, and has taken over mothering her.

Whitey in the meantime has been trying to take care Cheeky but is being attacked. She looks sad and forlorn.

My question is what should I do?
Should I quarantine Blackie to break the developing bond between her and Cheeky?
Or Should I just let it play out and see what happens in the pecking order?
Whitey looks at a loss, but that may just be my human sensibilities at play, but a part of me feels that motherhood is motherhood no matter the species.

Cheeky is still going to her mother but is being followed by Blackie who is aggressively attacking the mother.

Awaiting your thoughts
Roger

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Seperate real mom from faker mom. Best case scenario, the chick is confused and stress is put on all three. Worst case scenario, chick is inadvertently killed and/or real mom is injured by faker mom

 

[TillyPeeps]

I would put Blackie in a broody jail to break her broodiness, and let Whitey to take care of the chick. It only takes a few days to break a broody. She wouldn't be interested in the chick anymore when she is not broody.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Whitey went broody and hatched one of the fertilized eggs, she then lost interest in hatching the balance of eggs and found a corner of the coop to nest with the chick (aka Cheeky)

The next day Blackie went broody so I put the other eggs under her but after 5 weeks none hatched, so I removed the eggs and buried them.

Blackie remained broody, and then lo and behold she started attacking Whitey and started to separate her from the Cheeky, and has taken over mothering her.

Am I reading this wrong or is Cheeky 5 weeks old at this point?

 

[ShrekDawg]

I had a hen steal chicks before and they were all fine BUT! She wasn’t attacking the other mother or anything, just following them around for a couple weeks until the other mother lost interest anyway. So I guess my situation is a bit different. If there is attacking and harm going on, which it sounds like there is, I’d probably separate them to be safe. But up to you.

 

[DragonHorseMan]

Am I reading this wrong or is Cheeky 5 weeks old at this point?

Yes it’s 5 weeks old.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

Seperate Mom and chick from the bunny boiler fast.

 

[DragonHorseMan]

I would put Blackie in a broody jail to break her broodiness, and let Whitey to take care of the chick. It only takes a few days to break a broody. She wouldn't be interested in the chick anymore when she is not broody.

This is what I’m thinking of doing, but I’ll have to wait until nightfall to get her from the roost. I think she senses what up and she’s not letting me get close to her.

 

[Klutch]

It's too bad, I have had instances where the two hens combined forces, 100% survival.

 

[Klutch]

They were totally free ranged.