Can I take the chicks away after my broody hatches them?

[luvmy33chicks]

I have a broody japanese bantam.
I volunteered to take in chicks in december from someone hatching them for a science fair project.
i wanted to put 6 silkie mix eggs under my broody since i will have the brooder set up in the house anyway.
is it okay to take the chicks away from my hen as soon as they hatch and dry off?
i have a large mixed flock and dont want the chicks getting picked on.

 

[TinkyFeathers]

I had to do that once and everybody was fine. I would have preferred to leave them in the coop with everyone though. The mother hens are very protective though so I don't think I'd worry about the chicks getting picked on... but it's a possibility I suppose.

 

[Johnn]

no they are hers she will protect them if shes a good mother let her have them

 

[tinychicky]

i had to do that in my most recent hatch. it was a broody i had't discovered until most of her eggs were about 2 weeks in, but others only a few days to a week in, so the hatch was very staggered. when the first chick was up and about i put the eggs under a different hen and every time one hatched i'd take it out and put it with the first broody over the course of about a week and a half. neither broody seemed to really notice except to squawk for a bit after. of course the broody herself could also be moved to a seperate pen with her chicks if you don't mind seperating the broody from the flock. having a hen to protect them when you reintroduce them to the flock always helps.

 

[luvmy33chicks]

thanks everyone i will seperate her in the area in my coop if i decide to let her hatch chicks

 

[Arielle]

I let my broody BO hatch her stash of eggs; then took the chicks as they hatched. We have lots of hawks and coyotes so I brood the chicks. THe Bo deserted the eggs that didn't hatch and went back to the coop to live. No problems there.

I have another broody who I finally gave eggs, in hopes she would get over it when the chicks hatch.

 

[Beekissed]

You could~ but you are giving up on the ease and success of a broody mom doing what she can do way better than you can accomplish it~keeping those chicks at exactly the right temperature, nurturing them as a chicken mom would do and teaching them how to forage for food. Why would you want to do that when you could just create a seperate area for them for a few weeks, in view of the rest of the flock, and then integrate them when the chicks are bigger and more agile.