HELP! My hen is picking on my chick!

[KellyHM]

Here's the situation....

I got a Silkie hen a couple of weeks ago and she came with 2 chicks. One of the chicks died (don't know why) but the other one is doing fine. Yesterday I got a new chick to replace the one I lost and I knew the hen wouldn't take it in, but now she's beating it up! She won't stop chasing it around and pecking it! I know that establishment of a pecking order is normal, but this just seems excessive. The poor thing can't come out of it's hiding spot without her going after it. What should I do?

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Get that baby out asap! The hen feels it is a threat to her other baby and will kill it.

 

[KellyHM]

I don't know what the heck to do with it if I take it out. I'm not set up to keep it in the house...don't have a light or anything. It's about 5-6 weeks old, so would it be old enough not to need a light to keep it warm? Should I take the other chick out too and keep them together so this one will have company?

 

[KellyHM]

Ideas? Anyone? :|

 

[mypicklebird]

Most hens will not accept new chicks unless they all just hatched and you sneak it in at night under her wing. The new chick looks and sounds wrong to her, so she is trying to drive it away. Without a mom to look after it and protect it, she will stress it or peck it to death. Get it out now, or it will likely die a miserable death. Most hens are not nice mommies that will take an orphan (or even tolerate one around)- they are fierce protecters of their brood, and her brood is the one chick.

Get a cardboard box or empty plastic storage bin and put a desk lamp in it or hanging into it with a 60 watt bulb for heat. Tupperwear top for food. And a 3$ plastic waterer = voila= insta brooder. It is not a perfect brooder, but a 5-6 week old chick doesn't need much extra heat. One chick is a lonely chick, but it won't die of being lonely. Consider getting 2 more from the same source you just got the one from to keep it company.

I keep my new chicks in a large plastic sweater bin with a clip lamp for heat... not pretty, but works fine...
jess