Help! Broody hen turning on chicks!

[Mulemom]

I have a broody girl that has been sittin on eggs for at least 25 days. I got six chicks at the feed store and replaced the eggs with chicks last night about 10. Seemed like everything was going to be fine, but this morning she started pecking at them. I took her outside and thru her back in with the rest of the flock. Later she was walking up and down the fenceline like she was real upset, so I took her back in and just put her in the bathroom when the chicks are in a cage. She was trying to tear down the cage to get back in with them, so I put her in too see, and she started clucking to them, and two of them went diving in under her. The rest just kept eating, but as the others started to gather around her. she started pecking at them. Not a full fledged attack, but enough to send them screaming in the other direction! She's back outside the cage now (pooping all over my bathroom). I think her chances are over for being a good mom. What do you all think?

 

[JakRat]

She might just be showing them that she is the mama. Unless blood is drawn I wouldnt worry and put her with her babies. Did you post anything under the broody thread under the Incubating and Hatching eggs section?

 

[Mulemom]

Thanks. I guess I could give it another, closely watched, try. They are afraid of her at this point, but they cry when I take her out. To make it worse. She has been gone from the flock so long that the other hens are attacking her, so I have to keep her seperate. She's in with my other broody now. I wonder if I move the other broody in tonight and try and pass the chicks off as hers, if she'll take them along with her own eggs. Her two should be hatching in three to four days.

 

[JakRat]

Thanks. I guess I could give it another, closely watched, try. They are afraid of her at this point, but they cry when I take her out. To make it worse. She has been gone from the flock so long that the other hens are attacking her, so I have to keep her seperate. She's in with my other broody now. I wonder if I move the other broody in tonight and try and pass the chicks off as hers, if she'll take them along with her own eggs. Her two should be hatching in three to four days.

I would still try with the other hen. The broody hen will neglect the eggs for the babies.