My darling little banty cochin hen, Molly, recently went HARD CORE broody. Because we know what excellent mothers cochins usually make, and because we happened to have had a shipment of banty cochin eggs come in that same week, she got the chance to be a Mom. We slipped three eggs under her- one got kicked out of the nest, the other two were still there on day 20. My mother and I were watching as the first one hatched, and finally made it's way out from under her. We were thrilled- until she started pecking it viciously anytime it came close to her. It managed to struggle away from the danger zone, but when it finally got cold enough to seek out mama's warmth again, she literally threw it across the nest. I really don't know if this is normal first time mama behavior or her rejecting the chick, but I did NOT want to come home to a dead baby, so I took it away. She didn't even try to stop me.
I don't know if her other one hatched- if it did, I hope she hasn't rejected it, too. Can anyone tell me just what's going on here, what I should do, etc? She's SUCH a sweet chicken- I thought she would be a similarly sweet mother.
I don't know if her other one hatched- if it did, I hope she hasn't rejected it, too. Can anyone tell me just what's going on here, what I should do, etc? She's SUCH a sweet chicken- I thought she would be a similarly sweet mother.
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