SamCO
Songster
My broody currently is caring for three chicks 1 week and 1.5 weeks old. She’s in a seperate area within the coop and run and has been seperate within the flock for about 2-3 weeks. Yesterday I tried letting her and chicks out with the flock to mingle and the other birds started viscously attacking her. Not just pecks , but full on flogging. She tried to defend herself but ended up just hiding in her he corner. No way to protect her chicks, as she was just trying to survive. I was right there and stopped it and she was not hurt. Luckily the flock didn’t seem to care about the chicks. I closed the door to her area to give her a break. I’d like to start trying again if possible. She was always at the bottom of the pecking order, but no one has ever actually picked on her.
Ideas? Thinking I’ll start with just a couple birds out in the run and try to integrate them a couple birds at a time. Should I try a squirt bottle to take down the meanies a notch?
If this doesn’t wok, thinking I’ll try to get her and her chicks inter grated with my 5 week olds and then maybe as all the chicks are older, try to integrate my broody and all the chicks at once?
I had no idea this would be an issue since she never left the coop. Poor thing.
Any help is appreciated!
Ideas? Thinking I’ll start with just a couple birds out in the run and try to integrate them a couple birds at a time. Should I try a squirt bottle to take down the meanies a notch?
If this doesn’t wok, thinking I’ll try to get her and her chicks inter grated with my 5 week olds and then maybe as all the chicks are older, try to integrate my broody and all the chicks at once?
I had no idea this would be an issue since she never left the coop. Poor thing.
Any help is appreciated!