Chicks not following momma

[Chickendoodle352]

Five days ago we introduced 4 Wellsummer pullets to our broody hen. She took to them immediately. She’s a good momma but seems to have chicks that don’t follow her or listen to her clucks. They will run to her if I come near or if they are scared but they don’t follow her. Yesterday she took them out of the coop and into the run. She tried for hours to get them back into the coop but they just ran in different directions. I intervened last night after dark and put them back in the coop. They are back in the run today and momma is frantically trying to keep them near her. This is only my second group of chicks so my question is…. Is this normal behavior for chicks (to ignore momma)? Should I not intervene and just let them sleep in the run?

 

[Iluveggers]

Five days ago we introduced 4 Wellsummer pullets to our broody hen. She took to them immediately. She’s a good momma but seems to have chicks that don’t follow her or listen to her clucks. They will run to her if I come near or if they are scared but they don’t follow her. Yesterday she took them out of the coop and into the run. She tried for hours to get them back into the coop but they just ran in different directions. I intervened last night after dark and put them back in the coop. They are back in the run today and momma is frantically trying to keep them near her. This is only my second group of chicks so my question is…. Is this normal behavior for chicks (to ignore momma)? Should I not intervene and just let them sleep in the run?

How old were they when you introduced them to her?

 

[Chickendoodle352]

How old were they when you introduced them to her?

I’m not sure. We got them from TSC and the employee wasn’t sure. I read that they needed to be less than 5 days old. When I asked if they were she said “we sell a lot of them do I’m sure they are.”

 

[Iluveggers]

Can you lock mama & babies in the coop or a portion of the coop for a day or two until the babies learn where to sleep?

 

[Chickendoodle352]

Can you lock mama & babies in the coop or a portion of the coop for a day or two until the babies learn where to sleep?

Yes, I can do that. Thank you.

 

[Yardmom]

It sounds like the chicks have not imprinted on the mom. Locking them with the mother in a smaller space may help. My guess is the chicks were a bit older than the ideal for being given to a hen, but as long as they see her as a heat source it should still work out since she is claiming them.

 

[Chickendoodle352]

It sounds like the chicks have not imprinted on the mom. Locking them with the mother in a smaller space may help. My guess is the chicks were a bit older than the ideal for being given to a hen, but as long as they see her as a heat source it should still work out since she is claiming them.

Thank you. I’ve been doing a lot of reading and that’s the conclusion I came to also. That makes me sad but I’m so glad my momma is such a good little momma. She’s working her tail feathers off to keep up with these 4 crazy chicks. I have them in the run with the gate closed. It is 10x10 and the coop is inside of it. Hopefully they start to mind soon. Thank y’all for answering my questions.

 

[Chickendoodle352]