Broody mama not protecting

[eridzone]

Hi Everyone,

I have 5 pure breed Light Sussex hens, this spring(last month) one went broody and i bought fertile eggs for her. Good day came, we had cute chicks in our coop.

Happy moments finished here, now the very first day i let the broody mama out with chicks into the run with other flock hens tried to chase the chicks and mama literally had big fight (like game bird roosters) with the top hen, mama was the lowest in pecking order before getting broody. After that incident chicks are scared and stay in the little pen inside the coop and rarely come out because that was the only protective instinct i saw in the broody mama but now she does not care if any hen or human approaches her chicks or pecks at them. Mama is still helping the chicks to stay warm, finding the food and water and they all sleep together in their Pen but during the day broody mama and her chicks are still pecked by other hens she just growls with feather raised and do nothing to protect the chicks.

I am worried how to handle the situation if any worse accident happens or worst if she starts loosing interest in chicks.

How good are the Light Sussex as mama?

Thanks in advance

Quote Reply

 

[Yardmom]

How are your other hens treating the chicks? As long as the chicks can escape from the hens they should be fine. I have had incubator chicks do fine in the coop.

 

[RooStar Chicken Gang]

Seperate them if U must, when mine hatched at first they didn't even see the other hens for a few days just because of where they where it was just two broody hens looking after a few. Chicks... And I was ready to leave it that way till they all got big but someone put them out with the other roosters an hens and they didn't get attacked but.. was ready to seperate them in some area where they can see but not touch eachother.

 

[ChickenLeg]

Ive had hens kill chicks when hatched with the flock, sometimes within hrs after hatching. Therefore, I seperate them in a brooder as soon as I notice they hatch to avoid deathes. If your chicks can get away and arent being really harmed then sounds like you might be in the clear Id just keep an eye and make sure they can still get to food and water