Hen is separated from chicks, and upset.

[mreggie]

We have two hens with large nests of about 10 fertilized eggs each. The first hen had a chick hatch, so we made an enclosed space around her nest so that she could sit on her eggs, but also care for the chick.
The second hen had two chicks hatch, but we couldn't enclose her nest because of where it is, so we gave her chicks to the first hen, who has happily adopted them.
The hen who lost her chicks is now upset, and can hear the chicks behind the partition, so she is scratching around and trying to get to them. Will this upset her and cause her to not sit on her eggs any longer?

Thank you!

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Welcome to BYC!

You don't need to enclose the nests. Give the hen her chicks back if it is making her upset and let the hens raise them together. If they start fighting, then you might want to separate one hen and leave the other to take care of them. Are there many eggs left to hatch? How many days along are they?

The hen might sit on her eggs some more, but I would expect her to stop soon. She wants her chicks. She knows they're there. If she doesn't get them back soon, she'll probably leave the nest. Hope all goes well!

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

You don't need to enclose the nests. Give the hen her chicks back if it is making her upset and let the hens raise them together. If they start fighting, then you might want to separate one hen and leave the other to take care of them. Are there many eggs left to hatch? How many days along are they?

The hen might sit on her eggs some more, but I would expect her to stop soon. She wants her chicks. She knows they're there. If she doesn't get them back soon, she'll probably leave the nest. Hope all goes well!

Ditto Dat^^^ Important questions asked need to be answered.

No reason to enclose the nests.

 

[Wyatt0224]

When you take away chicks from a hen it will really worry and stress the mother out. I've read on here somewhere when someone did the hen was never normal again. And it took her weeks to stop being so upset. I would say give them back to her.

 

[carlf]

Why did you seperate the hen with chicks from the flock. There is no need to do this. A mother hen will defend her chicks or call them to take cover user her if she has to.
And yes, hens and chicks identify each other by their calls, starts in the egg. So yeah, she's ****** you took her peeps and she can still hear them. She thinks they are lost. Reunite them. Quickly. Stop interfering and let the hens take care of their peeps.