Hatching mother, other hen trying to nest on top of her while chicks still hatching

[bantams_of_scotland_]

Hi all new to this site as member but have used it frequently for all my chicken queries.

So we have a flock of 10 females and one male and one hen (Beverley) is currently sitting on eggs which are hatching as we speak, the eggs Beverley is sitting on are not solely hers, our flock decided that they wanted to give bev the eggs so for weeks they have all been laying in the same box and giving their eggs to bev.
We’ve had to keep removing about 6 or 7 eggs a day during While bev has been sitting on her eggs and the other hens continued to lay on or next to her everyday.

Beverley has a close companion hen who she was raised with (Mable). Mable has broken into Beverley’s segregated area multiple times today to sit on top of Beverley and her hatching chicks,

I’m curious if anyone has experienced something similar, is she trying to take her chicks back? Is she trying to take all of them? Perhaps co-parent as a hat to Beverly?
Mable is determined and becoming quite stressed that Beverly is segregated even though Beverly has been segregated for over a week only today when the first chicks have begun to hatch has Mable started to behave like this.

Any and all advice greatly appreciated, you can also find pics of our flock on their insta with the same name as my username here.

Many thanks.

 

[LaFleche]

Hi all new to this site as member but have used it frequently for all my chicken queries.

So we have a flock of 10 females and one male and one hen (Beverley) is currently sitting on eggs which are hatching as we speak, the eggs Beverley is sitting on are not solely hers, our flock decided that they wanted to give bev the eggs so for weeks they have all been laying in the same box and giving their eggs to bev.
We’ve had to keep removing about 6 or 7 eggs a day during While bev has been sitting on her eggs and the other hens continued to lay on or next to her everyday.

Beverley has a close companion hen who she was raised with (Mable). Mable has broken into Beverley’s segregated area multiple times today to sit on top of Beverley and her hatching chicks,

I’m curious if anyone has experienced something similar, is she trying to take her chicks back? Is she trying to take all of them? Perhaps co-parent as a hat to Beverly?
Mable is determined and becoming quite stressed that Beverly is segregated even though Beverly has been segregated for over a week only today when the first chicks have begun to hatch has Mable started to behave like this.

Any and all advice greatly appreciated, you can also find pics of our flock on their insta with the same name as my username here.

Many thanks.

I would separate Mable in a dog crate or similar until all chicks are hatched, as her behaviour is dangerous and she might even kill some of the hatching chicks this way.

Let Beverly and the chicks bond for a few days and only let Mable join them after a few days when it is clear that she will not harm them or start a fight with the mother hen.

 

[bantams_of_scotland_]

I would separate Mable in a dog crate or similar until all chicks are hatched, as her behaviour is dangerous and she might even kill some of the hatching chicks this way.

Let Beverly and the chicks bond for a few days and only let Mable join them after a few days when it is clear that she will not harm them or start a fight with the mother hen.

Beverly is in a secured area now so no chance of Mable getting in so they should be safe where they are but will double down on reinforcements to secure them.

It’s good to know though as I was unsure if this was friendly behaviour or not, this is our first chicks since we’ve had a full flock all fully grown living together.

Hopefully Mabel calms down and relaxes about the situation

 

[LaFleche]

Beverly is in a secured area now so no chance of Mable getting in so they should be safe where they are but will double down on reinforcements to secure them.

It’s good to know though as I was unsure if this was friendly behaviour or not, this is our first chicks since we’ve had a full flock all fully grown living together.

Hopefully Mabel calms down and relaxes about the situation

Hatching sounds of chicks are exciting for the other members of the flock, and they often come to see what is going on. Sometimes the rooster will keep watch near the nest to fend busy bodies off so the broody will not be disturbed by them.

In any case, be careful to watch their behaviour and maybe wait for at least a week, better two weeks before letting them get near, so the chicks by then will be well developed and able to run away for safety in case the other hens will peck at them

 

[LaFleche]

And welcome to the BYC community @bantams_of_scotland_

 

[bantams_of_scotland_]

Hatching sounds of chicks are exciting for the other members of the flock, and they often come to see what is going on. Sometimes the rooster will keep watch near the nest to fend busy bodies off so the broody will not be disturbed by them.

In any case, be careful to watch their behaviour and maybe wait for at least a week, better two weeks before letting them get near, so the chicks by then will be well developed and able to run away for safety in case the other hens will peck at

And welcome to the BYC community @bantams_of_scotland_

thanks so much for all your help! And appreciate that thank you

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, glad you joined the forum.

I’m curious if anyone has experienced something similar, is she trying to take her chicks back?

Not at all. They don't know who laid which egg. She as no idea which eggs or chicks might be hers.

Is she trying to take all of them?

Sometimes a broody hen will fight another broody to take over the eggs as they are hatching or even the chicks after they have hatched. Since they are not fighting she is not trying to take them over.

Perhaps co-parent as a hat to Beverly?

Possibly but you don't know that. Sometimes broody hens will work together to hatch and raise the chicks. Sometimes one will try to kill the chicks under the other one. I've never seen that unless the other hen is broody but with chickens you just don't know how they will act.

Since we're not sure what is going on I'd suggest the same. Keep them separated while the chicks get a bit quicker and stronger. 3 or 4 days should be enough. Just watch them when you let her take them with the flock to see what happens. I've never really had a problem with that but I haven't had a hen act that way either. Locking that other hen up is a good idea.

But I would not wait that long to let the broody introduce her chicks to the flock. The earliest I've had a broody hen wean her chicks was at 3 weeks. She just left them on their own to manage getting on with the rest of the flock. They managed fine. Most wait longer than 3 weeks to wean them, that's really early. But I'd want that broody hen to have enough time to teach the other hens to leave the chicks alone.