Help! Should I separate baby chicks from mother hen?

[Thechickenwhisperer2022]

Yikes, I'm so sorry you had such a rough experience with your first time momma.

If I'm raising brooder chicks I "poke" their food as if pecking and try my best mother imitation of tidbitting clucks. You might can find a video of that sound on YouTube, but picking up and dropping the tiny food bits seem to be how momma normally asks them to eat something. I sometimes feel and sound very silly but I'll generally try anything if I'm worried about a chick.

I'd also do the same with boiled and minced eggs, scattering a bit of both of them so there's both a main feeding area but also feed to search around for. Pick up and drop and call for these bits as well.

If they truly show no interest I'd continue using a dropper maybe hourly and gently redipping beaks in their water. But if they've been seriously chilled I'm not sure what the recovery rate is or how else to jumpstart them... Maybe someone else has more ideas...

Fingers crossed for your littles! Sometimes mamas are unpredictable and don't respond well to a move. I definitely wouldn't move that particular hen again if you do decide she gets another shot at it.

I took some of the crumbles and dropped it in front of one of the chicks and after a few minutes it started to peck at it and was successful in eating. I placed the other chick next to it thinking it would see that chick pecking and then imitate it.. I gave the second chick more water and it seemed to become a little more lively. They are both walking around the brood box and both are now pecking at the food. They still haven't tried to drink water on their own yet but I believe they are both over the hump and will be okay. Thank you for your advice. I appreciate it.