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Hens pecking on some of their babies

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post #1 of 6

8/5/12 at 10:33am

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FlyingHuskyRanc

Joined: 8/2012
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I have two broody hens, they sat in eggs for 24 days and then we got them some day old chicks. For two day they were good; but now the hens are pecking on the lightest chicks and the little ones are always in one corner. Is this pecking order or is there something else going on. I have a few black, red and yellow chicks. The hens are pecking just in teh light ones and they are fine with the darkest ones.

I separate them already but I'm not sure if this is a normal behavior and I just should integrate everybody again??

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post #2 of 6

8/5/12 at 2:12pm

mychookschick

Location: Maine
Joined: 8/2009
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Hmm, is she hurting them? Like, are they bleeding at all? If not, I wouldn't worry about it. I have seen my broody hens peck the chicks when they are out of line.

My best friends: 30 some odd chickens (BO, BR, GLW, Red Sexlinks, some 1/2 BO, 1/2 any of those breeds), 2 horses (Standardbred, Standardbred Appy X), 2 dogs (Lab x Golden Retriever and Aussy mix), and 2 cats.

post #3 of 6

8/6/12 at 6:45am

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FlyingHuskyRanc

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The mother hens would not allow the 5 lite in color chicks to come near the others.

If they did the big hens would peck them and pick them up and hurt them till they ran away. I separated them and put them in a cage in the garage with a heating lamp. I really wanted to avoid putting chicks in the garage again but I don't want them hurt or killed... Just odd that they chose to take care of the darkest colored chicks and exile the others. At least I don't have 15 chicks in my garage, only 5..

post #4 of 6

8/6/12 at 7:54am

galanie
Treat Dispenser No More

Location: Houston,TX
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Good job on bringing them in to brood them. The hens for some reason don't like them. I don't know why hens do that sometimes. I recently got 4 EE chicks for one of my hens and one of those chicks that was Identical to another got run off. So I had to raise that one myself. Very sad to see that happen but sometimes it does.

== Easy incubator wiring chart: http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=65925 Installing a thermostat: http://cmfarm.us/WHTincubator.html
Love those Orps!

I don't care why the chicken crossed the road, as long as mine don't!

== Easy incubator wiring chart: http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=65925 Installing a thermostat: http://cmfarm.us/WHTincubator.html
Love those Orps!

I don't care why the chicken crossed the road, as long as mine don't!

post #5 of 6

8/6/12 at 9:22am

zazouse

Location: Southeast texas
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Broodies can be a bit odd, i have them year round and i have some that will sit a nest all the way to hatch time and never get off the nest, if i do not pull the babies as they hatch they end up getting killed by other broodies when they venture out or they starve to death.

I have broodies that nest hop all the time, i pull my eggs every day in the laying area and they will up and move to the first nest that has been laid in again, it is like they are always broodie.

here are some of the sitters

“You can’t really begin to appreciate life until it has knocked you down a few times. You can’t really begin to appreciate love until your heart has been broken. And you can’t really begin to appreciate happiness until you’ve known sadness. Once you’ve walked through the valley, the view from the mountaintop is breathtaking"

post #6 of 6

8/6/12 at 4:31pm

theoldchick
The Chicken Whisperer

Joined: 5/2010
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That's a lot of broodies! Love the nest er...buckets!

Married to the old dude, 0 human kids, 2 horses, 10 cockatiels, 2 parakeets, 1 sun conure, 1 amazon parrot, 1 eccentric peacock, 1 gsd, 1 pet terrapin, 1 Blue Copper Maran rooster, and 14 world famous Jersey Giants!

Stan the Man will be missed.