Aggressive hens

[djbutler]

One of my spring hatch hens hatched out 3 chicks. I wanted to raise the chicks in the flock so they would be accepted. I added a hen to the flock earlier this season and they still don't accept her and was trying to avoid a situation like this. I have seen chicks follow the hen in other flock situations. Just my luck the other hens decided to kill the chicks. I have 5 Brahma hens and 2 roos that I feed 1 qt of layer, 1qt of cracked corn, 1qt of high grade scratch, and table scraps. Also every other day they get supervised free range time. Besides turning the offenders into dinner is there anything I can do to end this behavior.

 

[gsim]

I would segregate them and mother hen until they are juvies and can at least run faster than the hens. Chicks are always at risk in any mixed population, even hens only. I have a 2000 sq ft run and still, I would build another one just for that purpose if I had occasion to raise chicks. A run too small can aggravate this situation that you described tho.