Broody attacking new chicks...HELP

[Jessie66]

So my Silkie has been sitting on eggs and hatched 2 now. She is still sitting on 6 eggs. I took one of her chicks out and held it where she could see it and she pecked it really hard, like she was going to kill it. She is usually really nice and timid. I waited til she settled back on her eggs, then tucked the 2 little chicks under her and she went back into her broody trance. Will she hurt her chicks? should I remove them as they hatch? I don't have a heat lamp but could get one set up pretty fast. Should I remove them? HELP!!!

 

[MommaOrp]

They usually do peck at first, if she was going to harm it she would have done it already, it will be fine

 

[Jessie66]

She puffed up really big and I grabbed her before she could do any real damage. She seems fine when they are under her, and she is in her trance, but I am scared when they start running around she will attack and kill. Thanks for the advice, I hope you are right.

 

[MommaOrp]

She most prob puffed up at you!! because you had the chick or even because you were just there, my broody was exactly the same, she is currently mothering 8 little ones, all running around causing her grief! she still pecks them from time to time now!

 

[naughtyhens]

Keep everyone in the dark. Hens bond with their chicks through sound. She'll make friends with them by clucking to them when they peep to her. Then by the time she sees them she'll be used to the idea. Give it a day or two and I bet all will be well.

 

[Jessie66]

Thanks for the advice. I'm pretty anxious as I'm lacking trust in my hen now... It is like she was guarding the eggs from the chicks? When will she come out of her broodiness? She was broody about a week before I put fertile eggs under her. The eggs were already at about day 10 so she has only been sitting on them about 10 days. When the eggs all hatch will she leave the nest and help with the chicks? Last time she was broody (and sat on nothing) she was like that for 5 weeks. Also this is her first hatch. Mine too, thats why I'm FREAKING OUT...LOL

 

[Happy Chooks]

She's puffing up to protect the chicks from you. It's normal. Is she clucking to the babies?

 

[JP101010]

I would think that you holding the new baby chick could cause her to do what she did. She may have even tried to snag it back out of your hands because if she wanted to hurt it she would have. I also have a broody silkie who has never hatched any eggs of her own but has fostered day old chicks. I wouldnt bother her and the babies unless you have to at least for a couple of days. My silkie Miesha seemed to really bond with the chicks after one night of keeping the babies under her and warm- but at first she had pecked one or two light enough to not cause any harm

My silkie stayed broody until her chicks were about 3 months. and yes i felt it was possible that at first the hen might be protecting the other eggs. but if they spend some time peeping to her from under neath her she will make the transition.

 

[JP101010]

and i was also very worried about her hurting them at first so i pulled the graco play pen that she had been nesting in up to the window of my living room so i could sit there and watch to be able to step in if it got dangerous- it made me feel better even though i learned i didnt need to after all.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Broodies take up to 3 days to "come out of their broody trance". The three days is great, as this allows the newly hatched chicks to get their land legs - so they can follow momma around when she finally leaves the nest. Takes a good 2 days or so for the chicks to rest from hatching also - it is a very tiring job, hatching.



Give her a small dish of crumbles within reach of her on the nest and in another corner give her a small dish with water (a couple rocks so the chicks will not drown). She will start to call the chicks to eat and drink right away.




She puffs up and pecks at the chick because her chick does not belong out of the box with you - it confuses her as all her chicks should still be tucked under her.




Does she have an easy in/out of the nest box? Will the babies be able to follow her easily? If not, once the eggs have hatched, move her and the babies into a small plastic dog kennel. This will allow you much more freedom with the bunch. I take the dog kennel out in the morning (mom/chicks in kennel), put them in the broody/chick area and let them out. I leave the kennel there, and put them back into the kennel at night - then into the coop.