momma hen being rough with chick

[claraserena]

about 10 days ago my older Cuckoo Maran hen hatched out 2 bantam chicks. One I found dead under her--I think she stepped on it. The other was OK. This hen has mothered other chicks (and ducklings) and has been a good mother. But she has seemed restless and because she is large I worry about the chick. Today I let the two of them out of the hutch they have been in (it's in the coop with other chickens and 3 ducks. The mom has been strutting around, lots of scratching the floor, from time to time looks like she is going after the chick with her beak. But she also displays mothering behaviors when I give them treat food and every night the chick has been under her. I'm worried that her rough behavior might hurt this very small chick. I do have a bantam mom with 5 chicks (about the same age) and while the two families are in separate rooms they can hear each other through a screened door. Maybe the sounds of that family are bothering her. I'm thinking of putting the chick under the bantam mom tonight but I will feel guilty about doing this to the Cuckoo Maran. I'd appreciate any advice!

 

[Mylied]

She sounds fine to me, but I'm not the one witnessing it, so not sure if it really is aggressive or she's just showing the chick where to peck. Personally, I'd let them be. But it's your call.

 

[sourland]

Unless the bantam is an unusual mother she is likely to injure/kill the chick as she has already bonded with her chicks and will regard it as a 'stranger' competing with her brood.

 

[claraserena]

Thank you. Things have calmed down. Chick is under mom. So far, so good.