Hen with chick problems

[jsnscott]

I raise old english chickens and reciently had a hen hatch some chicks (4) they are going on 4wks old but my hen keeps pecking at there rear ends (2 of the 4 chicks) until they become bloody! I pulled the chicks from her and put them (all 4) in my brooder, I have 2 of them that Im not sure they are going to make it. There poo is real runny mixed with a little blood, I have been keeping there little bottoms clean but there not looking well, they act and weekly not moving to much, one of the two is drinking and eating well but the other just started drinking but not eating, Im sure I might loose that one. I would like to know if it might be my hen that was the root cause or was she trying to keep them clean and got carried away. One thing is is for sure Im not going to let that hen set again. (to be honst I was so made at the hen this morning she almost became my dinner)

 

[Chicktastic]

Sorry to hear your hen did that. I would keep her away from the chicks. Sounds like she was just going after the red skin/ poop / whatever but it seems she is not going to be a good mommy. I agree with you she probably shouldn't set again.

We had one hen who was a terrible mom. She lost her babies all of the time. Her chicks ended up in my brooder as well. She was the ADD mom. She would just wander off and wouldn't keep track of them. I'd find them calling and cold. It didn't take long before I had her whole hatch in the brooder. She couldn't have cared less. I never let her set ever again!

Another hen of mine is the opposite. She will take in chicks and protect them with her life. She is very fierce and aggressive when she has chicks. She lost one to a raccoon and it was terrible. She was so upset. Running and calling back and forth between her nested little ones and the coop wall. Heart breaking!! l always put eggs under this hen. She is such a good mommy!!

 

[jsnscott]

Thanks for the reply, So far the chicks are doing well exept for 1, I dont think its going to make it through the night. The Hen just wonders around the yard calling for here chicks (kinda sad) and once she tried to play mommy to some other chicks that one of my other hens hatched a week ago (6) but that hen and here crew are kept in a different pen and there mommy wouldnt have it! She was going to woop her through the fence. The other hen (the bad mommy hen) went in tonight and went to here nest, I put her on the roost but have not went out to check to see if she stayed there. Im still thinking about making her dinner, I have those 6 new lil peeps and a hen setting on 10 more eggs that makes the bad mommy hen expendable!