Broody hen deserting her chicks...

[LaFleche]

Ah. Ok. I just fixed the fencing so chicks stay in the chicken area--they are huddled alone under the quonset hut coop. Tonight, hopefully the mother will come get them. She was with them earlier... The other hens were hanging out. One gave one of the littles a peck for good measure but didn't even get a squeak out of baby so I think that's going to work out. Thanks for the advice.

You can crate an area where the other hens will not get in and the chicks can rest and have their fill of chick feed.

 

[DobieLover]

The other hens were hanging out. One gave one of the littles a peck for good measure but didn't even get a squeak out of baby so I think that's going to work out.

Hens will peck chicks. That doesn't mean that they are attacking or trying to hurt them. Chickens investigate things with their beaks. If the chicks didn't peep, it didn't hurt and was a curious peck.