HELP! Why is mama hen harassing and pecking this baby?!? WTH?!?

[TheDirtyLawyer]

For the second time today I saw mama hen chasing and pecking and stepping on this baby! I had to intervene!

 

[Nksg75]

View attachment 1768535 For the second time today I saw mama hen chasing and pecking and stepping on this baby! I had to intervene!

is there anything different about that particular chick that you can think of?
Did it hatch later, or does it look different than the rest?

 

[TheDirtyLawyer]

is there anything different about that particular chick that you can think of?
Did it hatch later, or does it look different than the rest?

He’s one of two that look just like each other to me... same mom and dad I think. He may have hatched last is all I can think of.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

That chick could very well have a genetic or internal defect and the mother is trying to drive it off so that it will not be able to contaminate the gene pool.

 

[TheDirtyLawyer]

Yikes

 

[TheDirtyLawyer]

So what happens... like she abandons it?

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

So what happens... like she abandons it?

That or she will kill it. I know it sounds harsh and cruel, but the survival of the species trumps all.

 

[TheDirtyLawyer]

That or she will kill it. I know it sounds harsh and cruel, but the survival of the species trumps all.

Yikes this is so harsh... what’s the most humane way to handle? Should I see what happens?

This is the first time I’ve let them hatch chicks so I don’t know ... do they ever discipline them?? Lol. Could it have been being bad?

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Yikes this is so harsh... what’s the most humane way to handle? Should I see what happens?

This is the first time I’ve let them hatch chicks so I don’t know ... do they ever discipline them?? Lol. Could it have been being bad?

I had my first broody hen hatch chicks last year and while there was the occasional peck to an unruly chick, that’s as far as it got. How many chicks does your broody have? I would try slipping this little guy back under the mom after dark and see what happens in the morning.

 

[TheDirtyLawyer]

I had my first broody hen hatch chicks last year and while there was the occasional peck to an unruly chick, that’s as far as it got. How many chicks does your broody have? I would try slipping this little guy back under the mom after dark and see what happens in the morning.

4

I have given him back and she took him. She took him back earlier too tho. Both times it was right in front of the coop in the exact same area. There’s some food there but maybe she’s like no you’re not coming in with us?