bootsmith
Hatching
- Jan 9, 2017
- 3
- 0
- 7
Hi All,
I did a post with a link that needs to be checked (which I didn't realise) and I need some advice sooner rather than later.
We have a hen that is broody, has been for a couple of weeks. We decided to take the opportunity to replenish our chicken stocks as the broody hen is out last (the other have all passed on). We bought 6 day old chicks and after much video watching and reading went out at night and switched the eggs under her for the chicks (they hatched the day we got them). She happily had them all under her and sat on them all night, however come morning she was pecking them and would not let them anywhere near her.
We brought the chicks back inside and put the eggs back on her nest and she immediately went back and sat on the eggs. Over the course of today we have slowly placed the chicks under her and she is again happy to sit on the, but whenever they come out from under her she pecks at them, but not as roughly as she did in the morning, and won't then let them back under her. we have taken a couple of the eggs out from under her so there are 4 (of the 6) chicks under her ans 2 eggs, with 2 chicks left to go under her.
It seems she tolerates them but doesn't 'mother' them. She's fine with them being under her but if they come out she won't let them back under. Can anyone provide any advice on what we could do? Is the pecking normal or should she not be pecking at them at all?
Thanks in advance for the help.
I did a post with a link that needs to be checked (which I didn't realise) and I need some advice sooner rather than later.
We have a hen that is broody, has been for a couple of weeks. We decided to take the opportunity to replenish our chicken stocks as the broody hen is out last (the other have all passed on). We bought 6 day old chicks and after much video watching and reading went out at night and switched the eggs under her for the chicks (they hatched the day we got them). She happily had them all under her and sat on them all night, however come morning she was pecking them and would not let them anywhere near her.
We brought the chicks back inside and put the eggs back on her nest and she immediately went back and sat on the eggs. Over the course of today we have slowly placed the chicks under her and she is again happy to sit on the, but whenever they come out from under her she pecks at them, but not as roughly as she did in the morning, and won't then let them back under her. we have taken a couple of the eggs out from under her so there are 4 (of the 6) chicks under her ans 2 eggs, with 2 chicks left to go under her.
It seems she tolerates them but doesn't 'mother' them. She's fine with them being under her but if they come out she won't let them back under. Can anyone provide any advice on what we could do? Is the pecking normal or should she not be pecking at them at all?
Thanks in advance for the help.