Keeping the chick safe from would-be mother

[The Harlequin]

We have a flock of 10 hens of a variety of breeds. The cockerel died last year.

Last month two black marans became broody. We got 6 eggs from a neighbour with a rooster and put them under the two hens. One chick has emerged, but each maran is sure that she is the mother! We isolated the one that didn't hatch the chick.

After 3 days we reintroduced the isolated maran and she immediately tried to take over mothering the chick and a huge fight broke out between the two hens. We've isolated her again now, obvs.

Everything seems to be going OK with the chick, the other hens seem to ignore it.

Questions:
1. How long should we keep her isolated?
2. Is there a danger of fighting or worse when she is re-introdued?

Thanks
H

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That can be normal. I sometimes let them fight it out, but otherwise I would keep the one confined out of the sight and hearing of the chicks for at least a week to 10 days to break her from being broody.