Help with my chicks and mother hen!!!! Please respond

[youngbreeder]

Help!! My chicken had 11 chicks 6 weeks ago and now im having trouble wih them. The chick's mother is starting to peck them and today she managed to make one bleed. Im scared what should i do! The father is there and doesnt do anything to he chicks he cares for them more, now, than the chicken. Also if it helps she layes an egg today.
Please help by responding. Thanks

 

[keiferlou]

She's trying to get them to leave. She's done her job and it's time for them to move out. This is normal. Do they have room to get away from her when she tries to make them leave? The rooster may think he's the boss but really she is and the chicks will have to learn to follow the pecking order now. If you're too worried, you can always separate them.

 

[youngbreeder]

She's trying to get them to leave. She's done her job and it's time for them to move out. This is normal. Do they have room to get away from her when she tries to make them leave? The rooster may think he's the boss but really she is and the chicks will have to learn to follow the pecking order now. If you're too worried, you can always separate them.

Thanks a lot. That makes sense. And yes they have plenty of room. Also i went ahead and seperated her and put her in a big cage. When do you think i should put her back in with them.

 

[keiferlou]

I'd give it a few days to make sure the kiddos get the hint. If they run back to her when she comes back, she'll just tell them again.

 

[Peeps61]

Help!! My chicken had 11 chicks 6 weeks ago and now im having trouble wih them. The chick's mother is starting to peck them and today she managed to make one bleed. Im scared what should i do! The father is there and doesnt do anything to he chicks he cares for them more, now, than the chicken. Also if it helps she layes an egg today.
Please help by responding. Thanks

Your hen is attempting to wean her chicks away from her, and the rooster will somewhat take over some of those duties if he's a good broody rooster, which it sounds like he is. If you can separate the chicks, that may be helpful, but if not, they will eventually begin to flock together with the roo and will leave mom. Eventually, they'll flock with each other regardless of the whether the roo or hen is there or not. If the hen is laying again, she is preparing for a new brood of chicks, so the others need to be self sufficient on their own without constant care from her. Good luck!

 

[chickens really]

Don't put human emotions on the Birds...Momma will never kill them...She is weaning them and teaching them to be independent of her...The Rooster will protect his Chicks...Now that she has begun laying again she has no more maternal interest in the Chicks...Do not interfere and let the natural process happen.....

 

[Mrs. K]

^^ agree with that post. The urge to take care of the chicks is a brooding hormone, it begins to drop in the hen at about 3-6 weeks. And then it is like she forgets her chicks, they are just other birds, and kind of irritating at that. I would not separate her, but if it continues I might fence off the chicks into a corner. Ideal fence would allow the chicks to fit through, but the bigger birds could not follow.

I do wonder about your space. 11 is a big expansion to most backyard set ups. Lean some pallets against the wall, set up an extra feeder out of sight of the first feeder. These allow birds to get away from each other, and out of range from the pecking.

Mrs K

 

[chickens really]

^^ agree with that post. The urge to take care of the chicks is a brooding hormone, it begins to drop in the hen at about 3-6 weeks. And then it is like she forgets her chicks, they are just other birds, and kind of irritating at that. I would not separate her, but if it continues I might fence off the chicks into a corner. Ideal fence would allow the chicks to fit through, but the bigger birds could not follow.

I do wonder about your space. 11 is a big expansion to most backyard set ups. Lean some pallets against the wall, set up an extra feeder out of sight of the first feeder. These allow birds to get away from each other, and out of range from the pecking.

Mrs K

I never ever interfere...If they grew in that flock?...Then no need to interfere...Chickens know what they are doing ....