Chicken wirh chicks, they wont eat much and don't want to go out of the pen to forrage

[SilkySilkie]

Maybe the chick starter is just unpalatable? I know my birds prefer certain brands over others. Wet mash almost always lures birds to eat, maybe try another brand. I would do the opposite, lock Mom in with the chicks and wet starter and when she gets hungry, she will eat. If they eat rice and beans they'll eat wet mash. Sprinkle some rice and beans on top along with chick grit if necessary.

my hens also prefer a type of food

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

i know my suggestion is the worst one out of all of them but I would just gently chase the hen and chicks out and see what would happen

Well today I did do partially that. What I didn't mention is that I have two hens that hatched chicks at the same time.
One of them has tried everything I give her and the other is the one who's picky; so today one of her chicks did follow her and the other two wouldn't, so I ushered them out in the afternoon and they did go about foraging, crying lots all the time, but they did go out.

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

Maybe the chick starter is just unpalatable? I know my birds prefer certain brands over others. Wet mash almost always lures birds to eat, maybe try another brand. I would do the opposite, lock Mom in with the chicks and wet starter and when she gets hungry, she will eat. If they eat rice and beans they'll eat wet mash. Sprinkle some rice and beans on top along with chick grit if necessary.

Yeah I think they don't like that brand, some other hens I have do eat it, but I rarely buy it (just when I have chickens with chicks, because they'd all basically gone outside without much problem). I will definitely try other brands.

 

[SilkySilkie]

Well today I did do partially that. What I didn't mention is that I have two hens that hatched chicks at the same time.
One of them has tried everything I give her and the other is the one who's picky; so today one of her chicks did follow her and the other two wouldn't, so I ushered them out in the afternoon and they did go about foraging, crying lots all the time, but they did go out.

yikes i never let out 2 broodies at the same time last time I did that they met each other and 1 hen killed quite a few of her own chicks never done that ever since

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

yikes i never let out 2 broodies at the same time last time I did that they met each other and 1 hen killed quite a few of her own chicks never done that ever since

No, no, one of them is in a cage (she's the one that is eating everything), the other I let her go out.
Last time I had many bloodiest most of them didn't fight that much, maybe it's because they have lots of space. But these two are more protective and territorial than the other chickens. Plus I did notice that once the chicks are a bit bigger they have less problems.
Funny thing is that because the chicks can go in and put of the cage, they play together and the chickens accept them without problem; problems they only have with each other