I have two 1 year old black sexlink hens and two mystery breed chicks. I just recently started letting the chicks out in a little pen I threw together during the day were the hens could see them and get used to them. I have one hen Sweet that seems to stay near the pen all of the time now where the chicks are at. And she always seems very interested in them. When they peep a lot she comes running, like when I bring the babies in the house at night and they peep all the way to the door, Sweet will always come running after me. Today a hawk tried to swoop down and get the chicks in the pen, but could not get to them due to the netting, when I ran out to scare it away Sweet charged out too. Could my Sweet hen think she is their mom, or taking on the mother roll? I have not let them out together yet because I didn't want Sweet or Sour (my older hens) to hurt Nugget and Parmesan (my chicks). I was going to wait until they were around the same size before I let them out together, but does any one think Sweet might protect them rather than hurt them? Should I try and let her see them out of them pen?
