Will a broody that's low in the pecking order be able to protect chick

[Lisa202]

I have a broody right now sitting on 2 eggs. I'm not sure if the eggs are viable or not. I've candled them and while I see progress, I see no movement. The reason I suspect that they may not be viable is b/c the broody hen gets off her nest a lot b/c others want to lay in her nest box. So, while watching them interact, I've come to the conclusion that she is pretty low on the pecking order.

So here's my dilemma...I have 5 chicks coming in the mail on the 5th (her eggs,if good, may hatch on the 4th). I was planning on putting these chicks under her the day they arrive, but now I'm worrying that she's not tough enough to protect them.

Does pecking order affect the success a mother has in protecting her chicks?

 

[clarmayfarm]

OH Yeah....
Low lady on the totem pole will become angry protective chicken mama...and the others will fall in line!

I have a little frizzle cochin hen who is always last...to eat, to come inside, etc.

she has brooded three clutches, and all three times, she turned into a B---- from hades when the chicks hatched. She woud scream, cry, peck, and even bully the much larger giant cochin roo. Nobody touched her chicks!!!

Foster

 

[debilorrah]

I disagree. A broody hen WILL accept chicks and easily too. Take the eggs out at the same time you stick the chicks under her and she will think she hatched her own. And she WILL protect them. Is this broody in your pen with other birds?

 

[Lisa202]

She's in the same coop, but a made a cage to go around her so that the others couldn't get to her. It encloses 2 nest boxes (including the one she is in) and an area for her to poop and eat (about 20"x20") I just put it around her this last week (day 15 of sitting) b/c she was getting up and exercising and eating during the first 2 weeks and I thought that was a good thing for her to be able to do. The others would constantly lay in her nest box which would cause her to leave, so I figured that it was best to stop this from happening the last week. I have a small separate coop to move her and the other chicks if I feel I need to.

debiraymond...what part do you disagree on?

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

yeah, once mother hood kicks in she will kick butt... she will not tolerate those other girls picking on her babies one minute.

 

[urbanolive]

I also had a very bottom of the pecking order, banty cochin hatch out 3 chicks. She never pecked at me the whole time she was sitting so I worried she would not be protective. She never fussed when we handled her peeps either but showed the other hens who was boss ! She moved to the very top of the pecking order and NO one messes with her, she eats first now !

 

[chicks4kids]

Yes, she'll protect them...you won't even recognize her bahaviour!! She'll be a crazy chicken mama and EVERYONE will know it