hen not broody covering 6 week old chicks

[boyswillbeboys]

I have 12 - 6 week old EE chicks that sleep on top of the cage I have in the coop for protecting them from the grown hens, they have been in the coop for 4 weeks now. I had a hen that got sick shortly after the chicks moved into the coop, I had to force feed her for several days, and she's slowly getting better, but has dropped to the bottom of the pecking order. A couple days ago, I found her sleeping near the chicks, on the cage, last night it was cold, and when I went in to lock them up and do the evening head count, I found her with her wings spread, trying to cover the chicks some of whom were huddling against her, everyone else was roosting for the night.

She did not go broody, but is it unusual in a situation like hers for her to start looking after chicks at this age? she is just under a year.

 

[Judy]

Ahaha, unusual? They do all sorts of things we don't really expect them t do. She sounds like a good hen to have around!

I once had a broody suddenly decide when some brooder raised chicks were 4 weeks old that she was their mother. They had a peaceful if odd relationshp for the next few weeks. You just never know!