Will a broody hen neglect chicks if you handle them.

[mrosehogge]

I was told by someone that if you touch a broody hens chick it will abandon it. I know it’s false with wild birds and they don’t have that good of sense of smell but I just wanted to make sure. I have a broody hen I got fertilized eggs for and she just hatched her first chick. She barley lets me touch it as is it but I plan on moving them once they all hatch and was going to let her raise them instead of using a brooder. I know it’s silly but I just wanted to check with the chicken people.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

No, that is a very old wives' tale. Chickens, and any bird, is smarter than that and know each individual chicken in their flock, especially including their offspring.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

You are correct on the part about how birds have a poor sense of smell, but vultures have a very good sense of scent due to having to locate carcasses from miles away. Chickens' sense of smell is closely trailing behind a human's, which is great for a bird.

 

[DobieLover]

was going to let her raise them instead of using a brooder

When a hen invests the kind of effort they do to hatch chicks, taking them away from her when they hatch is bad. The only time chicks should be taken from a broody hen is if something turns out to be wrong with the hens maternal instincts and the chicks are in danger.

She barley lets me touch it

That's because she is protecting her chicks. That's good.

I plan on moving them once they all hatch

Where are they now?
Has she been within sight of the flock during the incubation? If so, I would isolate her and the chicks within sight of the flock for about 3 days until the chicks are highly mobile then let her take her chicks into the flock to raise them. Just make sure that the water source for the flock is chicks safe and that the flock is eating chick starter or Flock Raiser with a container or two of oyster shell on the side for active layers.

 

[mrosehogge]

When a hen invests the kind of effort they do to hatch chicks, taking them away from her when they hatch is bad. The only time chicks should be taken from a broody hen is if something turns out to be wrong with the hens maternal instincts and the chicks are in danger.

That's because she is protecting her chicks. That's good.

Where are they now?
Has she been within sight of the flock during the incubation? If so, I would isolate her and the chicks within sight of the flock for about 3 days until the chicks are highly mobile then let her take her chicks into the flock to raise them. Just make sure that the water source for the flock is chicks safe and that the flock is eating chick starter or Flock Raiser with a container or two of oyster shell on the side for active layers.

I was going to move the hen and chicks to their own house. She’s in a nesting box in a coop with 9 other chickens and a rooster with one hatched chick and 4 eggs rite now.

 

[DobieLover]

I was going to move the hen and chicks to their own house. She’s in a nesting box in a coop with 9 other chickens and a rooster with one hatched chick and 4 eggs rite now.

How much space is in the coop?
Is it ground level or elevated?
Can you post pictures?
How much space do they have when they're not roosting in the coop?

 

[mrosehogge]

How much space is in the coop?
Is it ground level or elevated?
Can you post pictures?
How much space do they have when they're not roosting in the coop?

It’s 5x3 with 3 nesting boxes bumped out and raised off the ground about a foot and a half they free range during the day.

 

[DobieLover]

It’s 5x3 with 3 nesting boxes bumped out and raised off the ground about a foot and a half they free range during the day.

Your coop is too small for the birds that you already have let alone a new broody hen with chicks. Are you building something larger or do you plan to rehome some of your birds?

 

[mrosehogge]

Your coop is too small for the birds that you already have let alone a new broody hen with chicks. Are you building something larger or do you plan to rehome some of your birds?

It’s none of your business what I plan on doing. I asked a simple question originally and you have not answered it. You just keep asking me questions.

 

[DobieLover]

It’s none of your business what I plan on doing. I asked a simple question originally and you have not answered it. You just keep asking me questions.

The answers to those questions affect the answers to your question. That's why people here ask posters questions. So they can understand what the intentions are and what the needs are of the poster. We already know what the needs of the birds are.
When experienced keepers can see a huge problem looming on the horizon we like to try to help you avoid it. Sorry if you took offense.
No, a bird will not abandon her chicks just because you handle them. But she may attack you for it.