Confused on mama hen behavior

[Farmgirl283420]

My hen Amelia had two chicks they are about 8 weeks old. One is a cockerel the other I believe to be a pullet. They are separate in their own little coop and i know now is the time where Amelia is weaning them but recently Amelia has been pecking the pullet a lot but not the wild little cockerel? Anyone know why? For an example when Amelia is drinking and the pullet comes to get a drink Amelia pecks her away but doesn’t seem to mind the cockerel.

 

[Mrs. K]

At 8 weeks, the hen is done. Probably done some time ago. The hen should be back with the flock, but that might not go too well if she has been separate from the flock.

I think she will start in on the cockerel too. How much space do they have? This could be a space issue more than anything else.

Mrs K

 

[Farmgirl283420]

At 8 weeks, the hen is done. Probably done some time ago. The hen should be back with the flock, but that might not go too well if she has been separate from the flock.

I think she will start in on the cockerel too. How much space do they have? This could be a space issue more than anything else.

Mrs K

Ok thank you! I will check and see how much space they have. The first time she raised a pullet I never saw her peck her and Enola followed her around until she started laying.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I’m planning to move them into the coop but I need to rehome two cockerels first.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

The run is 4x8 and they have a little coop I forget the size but they only go in there at night or when Amelia lays an egg.

 

[Mrs. K]

If Amelia is laying eggs, she is over being broody. I have a hen and a chick now about that same age, and the chick roosts with the flock, next to the hen. But it is more of a tolerance, not a mother daughter bond.

4x8 = 32 feet - so enough space for 3 adult birds. As the chicks grow, they take up more space, and I would expect in that 4 x 8 space, there is no way for birds to get away from each other.

I do think there is a strong possibility of wreck when you go to add the hen and pullet to the flock. Unless, they have been in sight of the flock, they are going to be complete strangers to the flock, and will be attacked. At this stage the hen will not protect the chick, she will be busy protecting herself.

I do it differently. I hatch out in the flock. The broody hormones are highest, making the broody hen powerful. She introduces the chicks to the flock, and will protect them. Mine take the chicks out of the nest at day 2. The chicks grow up in the flock, and when the mama forgets them, they have been accepted into the flock.

Mrs K

 

[Farmgirl283420]

If Amelia is laying eggs, she is over being broody. I have a hen and a chick now about that same age, and the chick roosts with the flock, next to the hen. But it is more of a tolerance, not a mother daughter bond.

4x8 = 32 feet - so enough space for 3 adult birds. As the chicks grow, they take up more space, and I would expect in that 4 x 8 space, there is no way for birds to get away from each other.

I do think there is a strong possibility of wreck when you go to add the hen and pullet to the flock. Unless, they have been in sight of the flock, they are going to be complete strangers to the flock, and will be attacked. At this stage the hen will not protect the chick, she will be busy protecting herself.

I do it differently. I hatch out in the flock. The broody hormones are highest, making the broody hen powerful. She introduces the chicks to the flock, and will protect them. Mine take the chicks out of the nest at day 2. The chicks grow up in the flock, and when the mama forgets them, they have been accepted into the flock.

Mrs K

Their little coop and run is next to the big coop’s run. They have free ranged together a few times Amelia has already knocked down the new cockerels and fought with another hen. I think it will be hard for the babies but I couldn’t let Amelia raise her babies in the coop. When I let Enola who was Amelia’s first chick raise her chick in the coop she somehow got hurt and died. I fixed the problem but didn’t want to take any chances. Thank you for your help I will start the process of putting them back in with the main flock.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

32 sq ft should be enough room for 8 adult birds.