Will my hen protect the chicks from other hens?

[chick peeps]

I just put 10 eggs under my broody hen and I was wondering if she would be able to protect the chicks from my other full grown hens once they hatch. I have heard that they will protect them but I have also heard that I should separate them. Plus I don't really have a way to separate them at the moment and since she is already sitting on them I don't think she would like being moved.

 

[thehackleguy]

If they are the same age and you transfer them to her early in the evening (just after dark) she *should* protect them. This is sometimes very simple but often can be a nightmare where the non-fostered chicks get trampled if the hen does not accept the new chicks. Also she should be able to cover all of the chicks to keep them warm. The best thing to do is try to do it when you can check on them at day break and every hour or so after for the first day. Then if there is trouble you can separate them.

 

[nanasue31204]

I only had one of my eggs hatch from my broody and have no way of separating them from the flock at the moment so mama and baby are with everyone else. She is doing great protecting her baby and none of my other 30+ chickens even dare come near her. Mama puffs up and scares them all off, it's so cute to watch. I figure in the wild they wouldn't have separate brooders so why do the need them in my backyard. Also integrating the chick is easy because mama already did it for me lol!

 

[chick peeps]

That is great to hear!! I just wanted to check because the eggs are supposed to hatch on the 16th through the 20th and I will be leaving for camp on the evening of the 17th. (I didn't plan that too well) My hens have been aggressive to chicks before but they weren't raised by a hen, so I just needed to know so they wouldn't be killed while I'm gone.

 

[chick peeps]

Yeah I didn't put live chicks under her, I put eggs for her to hatch, so she should accept them.