Hen readopted chicks

[Revanneo]

Hi, bit of a long story but here goes. So I had a broody hen, a golden wyandotte, hatch out 4 chicks june 1st. At about june 30th she decided she was done being mom. She started chasing them off and pecking them, sometimes hard. A bit early but then she wasnt a great mom. Anyways she became receptive to my rooster and even laid a couple eggs. Then after about a week she went broody again. All of the chicks still use the nesting box as their bed at night so despite their mom leaving them they ended up cuddling her and crowding her every night. I chose not to hatch chicks with her for the second time because again she wasn't a great mom. So after about a week of her sitting on nothing, being crowded by her now 5 to 6 week old chicks she stopped being broody and started taking care of the chicks again. Calls them to food, chases off other chickens etc. But she will still lose patience and peck at them sometimes when they try to eat the food she didn't call them for. So it seems to me she has somewhat readopted her old chicks. I can't find any information on this happening so I was curious if anybody knows if this is common.

 

[MissLavender]

Following

 

[chickens really]

That is normal behaviour. She didn't adopt her Chicks again but set boundaries and rules they follow. Pecking order and weaning them.

 

[casportpony]

. So it seems to me she has somewhat readopted her old chicks. I can't find any information on this happening so I was curious if anybody knows if this is common.

Not sure how common it is, but I've had hens adopt fully feathered chicks after I booted them off a nest.