Moving hen and babies

[Necklace]

Hello.. I am looking for a bit of advice.. I have 8 hens and one rooster.. I free range my chickens but one of my hens has been sitting on her nest in the common pen where they all sleep at night. I checked this morning and there is a baby chick..

I am trying to find out the best way to do this.. I am afraid to move her and the chick because she might turn on the chick.. this is her first time.. she seems really protective if I get near her she starts making noise and puffing up.. I don't think she will hurt the baby but I am afraid that when I round up the group for the night that one of the other chickens or the rooster might get mean..

Should I take the baby away, try to move her, or just wait and see?

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I'd just wait and see. If they haven't been bothering her while she's been brooding, they probably wont. Broody hens are a force to be reckoned with, as long as theres enough room, she'll likely kick butt and take names if they look at her chicks wrong. I leave most of mine where they decide to sit in the nest boxes, with the exception of a couple of girls who are at the bottom of the pecking order and get pushed off their nest by the other hens. Even then, I put those girls in a cage inside the coop and open the door after them being in there for a few days (the initial shut in is to keep them from going back to the old nest, after that, they come and go as they please).

 

[rebrascora]

Just make sure there is a good high edge along the side of the nest or barricade around the nest so that chicks can't fall out. It is heart breaking to open the coop the next morning and find a cold dead chick that has fallen out of the nest and been unable to get back. I allow my broody hens to raise their chicks in a large mixed flock with no problems even when the broody is low on the pecking order. Obviously if there is one of the other hens showing too much interest then keep an eye on the situation and take action if necessary.... cockerels are usually no problem in my experience.

Good luck with her and enjoy watching one of the most entertaining parts of chicken keeping.... seeing a broody rear chicks.... it's the best!

 

[Necklace]

Update.. There are two babies that are a week old now.. they are doing great. All the other hens and the rooster stay clear of her. My next problem is keeping mom and the babies inside the pen. She keeps trying to walk out the front door with them. :/
There are just to many hawks and other animals for those little bite sized guys to go running around..

 

[horselover02]

I am interested in hatching eggs. I have 12 chickens and a rooster. Should I let the chickens sit on the eggs or incubate them.