Move Broody Silkie?

[txbirdlady]

I have a broody Silkie, Peeta, who has 10 eggs under her. She's on Day 13-ish. She and her eggs are currently set up in a cat carrier in the hen house. It's cramped in there, but that was what I had on hand as she had gone broody on the favorite nest. Bubbles the duck was not pleased with the puffy little black chicken sitting on her eggs and brought her goose bodyguard to kick the little chicken off the nest. I bought a large dog traveling crate to move Peeta and her clutch of eggs into. I'm wondering if I should let Peeta raise the chicks in the hen house/coop with the other birds or if I should keep them separate from the flock for a while. There are 5 other chickens, including one rooster, 2 ducks, and 1 goose.

 

[Delaneygraces]

I’d keep her in the crate until they hatch, and a little while after to let the chicks grow and get a little strong. What I do is let her hatch them, and keep them In a hatching crate/carrier/pen for a week or two. Then I move them to the outside pens, where the pen is wire so the chicks can come and go as try please, and escape back to mama in a pen where anyone picking in them can’t reach them. This way mama won’t be tempted to fight/protect her chicks, and chicks will stay safe. Depending on the hen, I may or may not let them free range until mama weans them after that.