removing some chicks from under hen

[emjay]

I just had a hen (chicken) hatch me some duck eggs. I have a gal that really wants to buy two tomorrow. What is the best way to take them from mama hen without stressing her and without me losing a hand?!
Should i cover her with a towel so she cant see, and i know covering the face is calming for some animals.

 

[Razadia]

I would remove them at night. It makes things a lot easier.

But as I always say, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Judy]

I reach under broodies all the time. One hand on the neck and head, barely touching, just to keep her head away from the other hand which reaches under. Or I just pick up the broody and set her out of the nest. Maybe they're just used to my doing this.

 

[shuizar209]

Quote:
This is what I do. I have a silkie broody with her brood that hatched in the last day and a half. Im always in there messing with them and cuddling the chicks. Im also petting my broody with no fuss at all.

 

[Shanda]

Me too, Rosie sees me as her protector as the other hens and rooster chase her when she comes out. She's sitting on some eggs now and was being pestered so bad that I put wire in front of her laying box. I have a little cup of food and water in there for her and I go in there a couple times a day and lift her off her eggs so she can run around, get a quick dust bath, get some "other" food and water...while I follow her the whole time and make sure no one bothers her. Within a few minutes she goes back to her box on her own and I lock her in. Somehow, I think she knows it is for her safety. When it comes chick time, she let me do whatever I want

.

 

[emjay]

wow, what good girls you have !!! Man, mine would eat me alive, she is very very very very very overprotective, viscious thing, haha.
I am not sure why I let her hatch babies, she hates me any where near her babies.
If I take two babies away, is she going to be aggressive to the babies remaining, or do they get over this pretty fast??
Last year I had to take a baby out to check it over, but, that was a feat in itself as well.
These girls are the tamest to me when not broody, so not sure why they turn into big bullies to me when they are mothers??
go figure.

 

[Shanda]

I don't think she would be mean to the other chicks...by the sounds of it, you may not be safe near her after you do that

.

 

[emjay]

Quote:
I won't be !!! this I know to be true. Most new moms have the look of love in their eyes, she gets the look of 'I hate the world' or me, one of the two. I keep telling her what a good mama she is, nope, she still wants to eat me,

I think I might stick to the towel, I'll just cover her with that, and put gloves on, go in for the grab and make a fast escape, so that she can recover on her own terms. ack.
When I move a new broody to her broody pen, I always use a towel and cover them, it never seems to phase them, as it hasn't made one become unbroody yet, so at least they'd be used to the towel.

I want a happy broody. My kids would love to be able to go and play with the ducklings right now, but for the risk of them being maimed, they can't.

 

[KYChixMama]

Quote:
This is how my hens look at me. A couple of ladies give me the obligatory peck for appearances when I reach under them, but it's always for show.

 

[emjay]

I lost flesh last year, i wish it was just an obligatory peck.

what kind of mamas do you all have that are so obliging??