I have been reading the topics on broody hens and hatching chicks - very interesting and helpful. It was only last year when Number 1 hen unexpectedly hatched 3 chicks. The problem is that 3 hens have been sitting on chicks - but not in the run. I have tried everything to confine them within our large garden - high fences, wing clipping etc. to no avail. 2 days ago, number 1 hen hatched 8 chicks in a neighbour's hedge 4 doors away. Luckily I discovered her when the chicks had just hatched and carefully got them and her in a cardboard box and took them to their new home - they are doing well. Hen number 2 is sitting on 16 eggs under a bush in our large garden and is due to hatch within the next week (I think). Number 3 is sitting on 11 on the garden wall (covered in ivy). A friend had a hen who was broody and it hatched 3 of our eggs but 2 of the chicks were killed by his other hens. Will the hens who hatch chicks kill other hen's chicks and will I need to separate them from each other as well as from the rest of the hens? Can anyone tell me? Also hen number 1 is the mother of the other 2 who are sitting. Also she is from the egg our neighbour hatched so that her father is our cockerell and he is the father and grandfather of the other hens who are sitting so he will be the father, grandfather and great-grandfather of the chicks if they hatch. I'm a bit worried about all of this incest. Will it make a difference? Any help would be welcome.