Quick! need help with question about moving chicks from mama.

[lilmama]

Hello:

We have new chicks that just hatched from fertile eggs we put under a brooding hen. They were born last night and I want to move the chicks to the house (in large container with heatlamp, etc..) because it's clear the other hens are going to be a nuisance and bother mama and babies and I have no place to put the new mama and chicks. Our only other enclosure is being used by some pullets.
Should I remove them at night? Will I traumatize the new mama? She seems to be pecking at them so that's another reason I am thinking moving the babies is not a bad idea..
Advice and suggestions PLEASE.

 

[Theapplechicks]

can you not move mama w/ the chicks into the house? Is she still sitting on some eggs? You can move those too. It would better to let her raise them than the brooder unless you can't. I had a rubbermaid tote box that I put my mama the unhatched eggs and her babies in and carried into the house. When they were about a week or so she took them back out to the pen on their own. (let them out during the afternoon in the grass. She was extremely protective of her babies and still is 6wk later! I'm sure if she's pecking at them it's not being mean. (possible but unlikely) she's probably either grooming or fussing or instructing them... teaching a lesson. I wouldn't worry about her hurting them. She probably would be sad for a little while anyway...

 

[lilmama]

I ended up figuring it out so they could stay together. Mama and chicks. At least for now! Thank you for the encouragement.
XO