I gave broody hen chicks; couple questions on care

[NorthwoodsChick]

Two issues.
1. I gave a first time insistent broody Bielefelder four 5-day old chicks from TSC late last night. I fed and watered (with a but of nutridrench) just before setting them. She accepted them and all survived the night.
The chicks are chirping under her in the nest this morning . Food/water is available but hen keeps chicks underneath her constantly.
Should (or when should) I intervene to feed and water the babies, or will she get up and lead them They are separated in view of flock in the coop.
2. Hen is picking at the chicks feathered feet or wings and sometimes drags the chicks nearer to herself. Or hen pokes the chick in the rump until the chick goes under her.
Can I assume this is not aggression (peck is not overly hard) bc chicks were not distressed? I want to make sure they aren’t in danger as this hen didn’t peck my hand hard when I removed eggs either.

TIA

 

[aart]

Is the nest on the floor level?
Have you put out chick sized feeder and waterer, close to but not in the nest?

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Is the nest on the floor level?
Have you put out chick sized feeder and waterer, close to but not in the nest?

Yes, nest is floor level. Chick feed and waterer are in the 3x6 space, about a 1/2 ft from the nest. Hen can’t reach it without getting up but you think I should relocate feeders to the far end to entice the family to move?

 

[Happy Helper]

The hen might think they are newborn and not in need of water or food. I just put 6 chicks under a broody this last week. I put them all under her during the day. The reason I did it in the daytime was that it was the weather was cold and I had no way to keep them warm unless I put my brooder back up inside. I put a chick in each pocket and placed them under her. I did this 3 times since I had 6 chicks. Also, it was not one broody hen but three. She had hatched out 3 chicks but with 3 broody I needed more chicks. So, I put 3 under each of the two Broodys without chicks. Now there is a family of 9 chicks kind of all integrated and all happy and healthy.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I went out to move feeder and waterer. Hen got up, chicks ran out and hen started pecking their feet, then chasing them to peck their toes. The chicks huddled in a corner away from her; one chick is bleeding a bit. Hen was clucking like a mother hen but I removed the gate and hen immediately went to an open nest box away from the chicks.
Is there any point in giving her another try?

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

The hen might think they are newborn and not in need of water or food. I just put 6 chicks under a broody this last week. I put them all under her during the day. The reason I did it in the daytime was that it was the weather was cold and I had no way to keep them warm unless I put my brooder back up inside. I put a chick in each pocket and placed them under her. I did this 3 times since I had 6 chicks. Also, it was not one broody hen but three. She had hatched out 3 chicks but with 3 broody I needed more chicks. So, I put 3 under each of the two Broodys without chicks. Now there is a family of 9 chicks kind of all integrated and all happy and healthy.

not sure of my success ATM. Hen bloodied a chicks foot, chasing.

 

[Happy Helper]

I'm sorry to hear that. I really don't have much experience with putting chicks under brood hens, only this one time. I didn't have that happen, but I was apprehensive at first because it looked as if she might not except them. I tucked them back under the hen again and the third broody went to another egg box. I thought to myself, too bad, she's out of luck. Anyway, I guess she changed her mind because she came back and joined the other two hens. I would worry about the pecking. I would not let her abuse the chicks. Maybe someone has more thoughts.

 

[Morrigan]

How many days has your hen been broody for? If it's been 10 days or less, she might not be ready to shift to mother mode. Although I've had a hen gladly accepts chicks after only being broody one day, that is the exception, not the rule. Most hens need a week or more before they see chicks as something they hatched.

Also, does your broody hen have feathered feet? Every now and then I get a broody hen who is only wiling to foster chicks that are the same color as her. It's not common, but it does happen.

The other thing you are facing is that your chicks are not newborn, although your hen thinks they are. Thus she wants them under her, where it is warm, and has no cause to think they need food or water yet. These are perfectly normal instincts for a hen to have. I had one broody who did much the same as yours when given 4 day old chicks. The chicks were big and active enough to want to explore outside the nest, but mama hen wanted them all under her, and would peck and pull to get them under her. I ended up putting food and water right next to the nest, so the chicks only had to move a couple of inches from mom to eat and drink. I also spent a day patiently returning straying chicks to under mom. It all worked out in the end, although it was a bit stressful. Although chicks were being pecked fairly forcefully for a while, my situation never came to blood however. So, I don't know if your situation is salvageable.

If this hen goes broody again, and you can't break her, I recommend giving her fertile eggs to sit on, or trying to find chicks that are less than 3 days old.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

How many days has your hen been broody for? If it's been 10 days or less, she might not be ready to shift to mother mode. Although I've had a hen gladly accepts chicks after only being broody one day, that is the exception, not the rule. Most hens need a week or more before they see chicks as something they hatched.

Also, does your broody hen have feathered feet? Every now and then I get a broody hen who is only wiling to foster chicks that are the same color as her. It's not common, but it does happen.

The other thing you are facing is that your chicks are not newborn, although your hen thinks they are. Thus she wants them under her, where it is warm, and has no cause to think they need food or water yet. These are perfectly normal instincts for a hen to have. I had one broody who did much the same as yours when given 4 day old chicks. The chicks were big and active enough to want to explore outside the nest, but mama hen wanted them all under her, and would peck and pull to get them under her. I ended up putting food and water right next to the nest, so the chicks only had to move a couple of inches from mom to eat and drink. I also spent a day patiently returning straying chicks to under mom. It all worked out in the end, although it was a bit stressful. Although chicks were being pecked fairly forcefully for a while, my situation never came to blood however. So, I don't know if your situation is salvageable.

If this hen goes broody again, and you can't break her, I recommend giving her fertile eggs to sit on, or trying to find chicks that are less than 3 days old.

She’s been broody for 16 days. I couldn’t break her and she stopped leaving the nest to eat on Thursday (motion cam in coop). I was hesitant to give chicks, but I didn’t want her to starve herself either.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

If this hen goes broody again, and you can't break her, I recommend giving her fertile eggs to sit on, or trying to find chicks that are less than 3 days old.

Yes. The breed is not known to sit so I was collecting all the fertile eggs. By the time 10 days went by I thought it may be too late to give eggs as she may stop sitting.
My luck that a nonsetter is the first of my flock to go broody.