How do hens tolerate their chicks being taken away?

[Lucy4]

When you have a hen sit on eggs and then the babies are taken elsewhere to be raised, does she get upset? I may be anthropomorphizing here. But the thought bothers me.

I have a BO who is consistently broody every other month. My friend asked if she could hatch some eggs for her. Timing didn't work out this time, but I was wondering in case it does. We couldn't keep the chicks here for any length of time anyway. (We have a variance for our 4 particular chickens, but evil neighbors would love to find a reason to get it revoked.)

I would think it would upsetting for a new mom to have her babies taken away, chicken or no. If that's the case, I don't want to do that to my hen. But I really have no idea.

Thanks for any insight.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

When I took babies away from my last broody, she squaked and freaked out for about 5 minutes, then I gave her some cracked corn...babies? what babies?

 

[eac04]

Quote:

 

[Luvducks]

I have a broody silkie and she is hatching my babies. I take them away so she can work on the next batch. Same deal - Cracked corn Okay. see ya kids!

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
woo hoo! I think we're on to something here!! LOL

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Too bad that rotten bio moms of kids in foster care won't give up their kids that easily... Just sayin' that because of other threads on here.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
AMEN to THAT!!!!!

 

[Lucy4]

That's a relief to know. Thanks for the responses!

 

[EvilTOJ]

So what you're saying is, give her cracked corn, and she won't care?

 

[Peregrine]

(If any of y'all don't get this, google "American Folk Music")