Will the other hens hurt new babies when they hatch?

[MOvermeyer]

I have about 18 hens and 1 rooster. My littlest one, a little silkie, is sitting on 5 eggs and should become a momma in about a week. She is the most timid of the chickens and lowest on the pecking order, so I've had to put a board over the entrance to her little nesting area so low she can barely make it through - because the other hens were throwing her out when they were too lazy to fly up a foot to lay their eggs. Now I'm concerned that once the babies hatch, the other hens will hurt the babies if she is unable to defend them (she is about half the size of most of my hens).

Do you think the other hens will hurt the chicks? If so, what should I do? I tried to isolate her from the other hens before, but when she was separated from them she abandoned her eggs - this is a new clutch.

 

[Mahonri]

Once the chicks hatch you will need to separate the mom and chicks from the rest of the hens.. Yes the will attack and your silkie won't be able to defend.

 

[columbiacritter]

Yeah, they are evil, I discovered that the hard way.

 

[BooeyBird]

My ameraucana just laid her first egg EVER and she is in an enclosed space with another hen and a roo. These chickens have been in the enclosed space together there whole lifes so we thought we shouldn't remove the hen and egg into another space. Am I wrong? Should I remove the hen and egg into another coop area?

 

[NovaAman]

No, just take the egg. Being a first egg, its not big enough yet. And, I doubt she's broody. They may lay the egg an still sit on it for an hour...

 

[thebanthams]

Hope you seperate them soon ! My hens(different breeds ) eats up my silkie's babies , its awful ! they will eat the eggs too