Mommas won't go into brooding pen

[ScottsChickenz!]

I have two hens sitting and tried to move them into an are of the coop that is fence offwith access to inside and out. I have tried moving the Mommas to the nesting boxes in the brooding pen, but the freak out and try to get back to where theyve been sitting for 2 weeks. The chicks are do any day now. The last time she had a chick she went to a corner on the ground to keep it hidden from the rest of the gang and somehow crushed it or killed it while scratching.

How should I get the momma and babies seperated to keep them safe from the others?

I have one momma who has been gone for 2 months and just showed up with 8 chicks in tow. I have been leaving her outside to fend for herself. I fenced her in last night to protect her and she ended up killing one chick, I think from scratching for bugs. She has been catching and killing bugs and feeding them to the chicks.

 

[TigerLilly]

I cant answer this one, but I'm looking forward to seeing what others say about it. Good question!

 

[Judy]

I have a similar setup and this happened to me once. I put her back where she wanted to be and waited til they hatched, then moved her. She was fine with staying in the pen then, I guess because the chicks were there and moving. However, 2 or 3 days later the chicks all wanted to get out with the flock, so I ended up letting mama raise the chicks in with the flock, anyway. They act like they don't realize you have moved the eggs. What I've found is some accept being moved better than others, but then, I've only done this 5 or 6 times. I always end up letting them raise the chicks in with the flock.

I've read that you have a better chance of their accepting the move before the eggs hatch if you do it at night, and move the nest and nesting material as well as eggs. Since I read that, I had one sitting on eggs in a plastic bin, and was indeed able to move bin and all at night into the pen.