*TW* Will a broody protect her chicks or are some a bit ...lousy?

[everyday_farmlife]

So I've hatched A Lot of chicks in the past, mainly under broodies... only started incubating this year...
Sorry this is the back story...
I had a light sussex hen (she is older 6ish years old, I only acquired her June this year) she randomly laid herself a clutch of 4 eggs and started sitting. I put some selective eggs under her to get some F1 showlines from my rooster who is no longer in with them... (he is sold pending pick up in case these eggs don't hatch )

I had 3, 12w old pullets in with her (stupid mistake, I know , but I've always had broodies raise their eggs in the coop previously with no issues)

Anyways 21 days for her eggs is today, tomorrow for the rest. This afternoon the 3 pullets somehow had a hatched chick outside of the brooder box (not completely fluffed up) and managed to tear it to pieces. They have also smashed 2 of her eggs which have pipped, those 2 eggs were at the front just under her. (I lifted her to see what was going on after taking the mutilated chick off the pullets and kicking them out of the pen)... long story sorry guys but now for my question...
Should I let this hen raise her chicks? Or pull them? What would you do??? This line is really important for our flock, I only have 2 chicks from this line to date...
She isn't very protective for a broody (all my other broodies have legit tried to take my hand off when it goes anywhere near the nest but she just puffs up and that's it no noise no pecking nothing! I've NEVER had a hen let other chickens smash their eggs near hatch or steal a chick, like what the heck! Normally the broody mutilates the other chooks... I'm now starting to doubt her ability to protect them as a mother... on the other hand (those pullets ain't going back in there!) She is in a large pen which I've put snake proof wire around the bottom. If she is by herself is it likely the chicks will be okay?

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Personally I wouldn't place all the blame on mama hen. Three mobile young pullets against one broody isn't fair after all. She may have chased one off and the other pullets snuck in behind her to molest the nest. Of course, the other possibility is she may be too docile to be a protective mother, or may not be attentive enough to keep track of the chicks.

If the line is critical to your breeding program I wouldn't leave it up to chance. To ensure the chicks' safety 100% you could definitely move them to an incubator to hatch and brood them in a brooder without the hen.

 

[everyday_farmlife]

Personally I wouldn't place all the blame on mama hen. Three mobile young pullets against one broody isn't fair after all. She may have chased one off and the other pullets snuck in behind her to molest the nest. Of course, the other possibility is she may be too docile to be a protective mother, or may not be attentive enough to keep track of the chicks.

If the line is critical to your breeding program I wouldn't leave it up to chance. To ensure the chicks' safety 100% you could definitely move them to an incubator to hatch and brood them in a brooder without the hen.

That is true.. I think I'll just monitor her with no one else in the pen and play it by day if another goes missing it'll be into the brooder thanks for your reply... her docility does concern me but in a fully enclosed pen she and chicks 'should' be safe

 

[Sussex19]

None of my broody hens have been very aggressive to the other hens, but if its a bird, cat or dog, watch out! (and they are also Sussex, by the way)
But then, the other hens are all very accepting of them, so maybe they know that they aren't a threat. I agree that three troublesome pullets could be to much for one poor hen.
If these chicks are very important to you, then I would either separate the broody and her chicks, or take the chicks and raise them yourself.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

I think it depends on how high up the rank ladder the broody hen is, if she is low on the totem pole, she doesn’t stand a very good chance of defending her chicks against other hens, I once had a leading hen hatch only one chick, she looked after it for 3 months and woe behold any chicken courageous enough to look at it sideways!! Moma hen came flying down on them like a ton of brick, that hen is my smallest hen and still thinks she’s rank 2… sometimes, another hen will put her in her place, but she is so fierce most hens back down

 

[everyday_farmlife]

I think it depends on how high up the rank ladder the broody hen is, if she is low on the totem pole, she doesn’t stand a very good chance of defending her chicks against other hens, I once had a leading hen hatch only one chick, she looked after it for 3 months and woe behold any chicken courageous enough to look at it sideways!! Moma hen came flying down on them like a ton of brick, that hen is my smallest hen and still thinks she’s rank 2… sometimes, another hen will put her in her place, but she is so fierce most hens back down

This is what my broodies are normally like this one is sooo sedate but I'll let her raise them in a pen by herself. Pullets noses are out of joint this morning they keep glaring at me then go over to her pen and glare at her

 

[everyday_farmlife]

None of my broody hens have been very aggressive to the other hens, but if its a bird, cat or dog, watch out! (and they are also Sussex, by the way)
But then, the other hens are all very accepting of them, so maybe they know that they aren't a threat. I agree that three troublesome pullets could be to much for one poor hen.
If these chicks are very important to you, then I would either separate the broody and her chicks, or take the chicks and raise them yourself.

My last broody was a sussex and I eventually had to seperate her with her babies at 2ish weeks old coz she actually injured my rooster and another hen...she might be an exception though although as mother of orpies pointed out my last broody was top of the pecking order so with 8 chicks the others didn't stand a chance