Baby chick attacked by hen (photo attached)

[Iluveggers]

One of my hens is raising 3 chicks, and I thought she was doing a great job. She calls them over for food, sits on them when they are cold, and has pecked the hens that try to mess with them. They are about 2.5 weeks old.

I don’t know what happened today. I heard incessant chirping, and one chick was stuck in the corner with my other broody hen off the nest pecking her. I know they have to figure out the pecking order, but I rescued her, attacking broody ran right back to her nest, and mama hen was on the other side of the run with the other two babies hiding behind her. I checked the baby, no visible wounds, watched her walk around and she looked fine. So I let her back with mama, and figured it was just a warning she didn’t get away from fast enough.

About 10 minutes later, there’s a huge ruckus, so I ran back out, and ANOTHER hen (not the broody), had pecked the same baby. This time she had blood on her and looked to be missing all the feathers on the top and side of her head. I brought her in, cleaned her (there wasn’t blood gushing or visible open wound, just looked to be where the feathers were pulled off, right to the skin from top to eyeball), and applied first aid ointment. I am at a loss as to what to do.

My setup is complicated. I have a sectioned off place in the run for the hatchery chicks I am raising, and I didn’t want to put here in there since there is a blood spot which would make her a target. I have a dog crate in the coop that they sleep in at night, so I pulled that into the run, and turned on the heat plate for her with food and water and put her in that for now, so at least she can see her family. I almost want to pull her two siblings and put them with her, or put her siblings with the hatchery chicks. I don’t want anyone else getting hurt badly.

But I don’t know what to do tonight, as I’ll have to move her to put the hatchery chicks to bed in the coop. (I don’t have a no-dig apron so I don’t want to leave any chicks in the otherwise predator-prood run).

Everything was going so great, why aftet 2.5 weeks would the hens get more agressive?

ETA photo, looks like it’s healing ok for now…

Spoiler: Graphic photo

 

[Iluveggers]

Any ideas? It has cleared up quite a bit, just a few tiny red spots around the skin area where she was scalped. Mom mama hen and her siblings keep coming over to her dog crate and peering in at her…

 

[Mrs J]

So sorry to hear this is the chick healthy and thriving? I ask because I have heard chickens can sense a weak member in their flock and they will go after it. It could just be an old wife’s tale, who knows, but hopefully someone will chime in with some better explanation and some advice.

 

[Iluveggers]

So sorry to hear this is the chick healthy and thriving? I ask because I have heard chickens can sense a weak member in their flock and they will go after it. It could just be an old wife’s tale, who knows, but hopefully someone will chime in with some better explanation and some advice.

Thank you. Yes, it has been running around with its siblings, and I could see no difference between the 3 of them size-wise. If anything, it is a little more mild than the other two chicks.

 

[Mrs J]

Thank you. Yes, it has been running around with its siblings, and I could see no difference between the 3 of them size-wise. If anything, it is a little more mild than the other two chicks.

Hopefully more ppl will give you a few ideas, I honestly don’t know why they have attacked her, wishing her a speedy recovery

 

[Iluveggers]

Hopefully more ppl will give you a few ideas, I honestly don’t know why they have attacked her, wishing her a speedy recovery

Thank you.

 

[Theorrin]

So sorry to hear this is the chick healthy and thriving? I ask because I have heard chickens can sense a weak member in their flock and they will go after it. It could just be an old wife’s tale, who knows, but hopefully someone will chime in with some better explanation and some advice.

its not an old wives tell its true. its more on the lines of the personality of said chickens but they will off others that are sick or weak sometimes. ive had instances of hens offing chicks just because the color wasnt right or because one hen decide to take over the moms job and mom didnt like that

 

[theoldchick]

You might have bit of an over crowding problem. Chickens can get quite territorial during brooding times and appear to go nuts over the littlest thing. I had the same problem once and put a nylon puppy playpen in the coop and placed the chicks inside. I had one broody who was just an idiot when raising chicks. She'd steal other chicks, attack ones that would not follow her. So, I never let her brood again. The nylon puppy pen worked great for me and was a life saver for the chicks.

 

[Yardmom]

Some broodies don't tolerate other chicks in the area. Maybe it is instinct to keep resources for their own chicks. I'm not really sure. This might be connected to the first attack. Not sure about the next more serious attack. With the chicks being more grown maybe they they were at the food dish more?? Not sure I wouldn't call it normal behavior. What are your current temperatures? You may not need heat for the separated chick.

 

[Theorrin]

You might have bit of an over crowding problem. Chickens can get quite territorial during brooding times and appear to go nuts over the littlest thing. I had the same problem once and put a nylon puppy playpen in the coop and placed the chicks inside. I had one broody who was just an idiot when raising chicks. She'd steal other chicks, attack ones that would not follow her. So, I never let her brood again. The nylon puppy pen worked great for me and was a life saver for the chicks.

View attachment 3568264

i have 1 similar to this but not as tall and loooove it