Frustrated chickie mama - a vent! GRRRRRRRRRRR

[gritsar]

And the roost battles continue....

I drug my DH's sick butt out to my one coop today to help me install yet another roost. There's plenty of roost space for everybody, even before we added the new one, but several hens won't let the broody's chicks roost and nobody will let the silkies roost with them. The silkies have settled for sleeping atop a crate next to the roost, but the chicks were really determined to sleep up high with the big birds. The babies and mama would probably sleep on top of the crate too, if it wasn't for the fact that one of the silkies is very mean to the chicks.

I waited till nearly dark to go in and settle the chicks on the new roost, but....

The chicks wouldn't stay on the roost. So I moved them to the crate top. The silkie started attacking them, so I closed her in a crate (but forgot to lock the door). Come back a few minutes later, the babies are back on the floor screaming, the silkie has escaped from the crate and is chasing them, the rest of the birds are on the roost fighting for a spot. I stuck the silkie back up on the crate and found the babies a spot under and on each side of mama on the roost. Then the other girls started picking on the chicks. I moved one of the other girls down a few spots and put my roo next to the chicks; only he kept stepping on the one chicks foot. So I moved the roo back and tried another hen. I basically spent 15 minutes playing musical chickens before I found two of the other girls that not only didn't bother the chicks, didn't step on the chicks, but even let the chicks have some room under their wings.

Right now I like my chicks, I like their mama and I like the two nice SS that are sweet enough to help tend the babies. The rest of the birds in that coop......

 

[Attack Chicken]

Same thing here happens aswell LOL Maybe make Imp spend a few nights out in the coop to keep things at peace?

Other than that

Will be going through the same thing soon with chicks hatching....

AC

 

[lilchick]

I know it can be tough but maybe staying in the house and letting them work it out on their own?

As long as babies are not hurt let em work out the pecking order...

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Normally I would do that, but... our nights are still pretty cool, the babies need to be kept warm at night awhile longer. If mama won't sleep in the nest with them anymore, they need to sleep with someone to be kept warm. My biggest worry tonight wasn't the big girls pecking at the babies, but knocking one of them off the roost with their pecking; leaving that baby alone on the floor with no way to keep warm.