Is it normal for a hen to pick on babies?

[RollinWithTheStones]

I try to give the chicks, hens and roo bonding time everyday (without a cage between them). First two days were great, they showed interest in each other and were very nice to each other. Now suddenly the hen is mean to the chicks. She pecked one on the head and it ran and hid. I scolded her telling her "No, be nice."

The roo seems to be the nicest of the two. Hen and Roo are 15-ish weeks.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

At 15 weeks of age, I'm assuming that the hen did not raise these chicks on her on. Is that correct?

If so, that would explain why she and the roo is pecking at the new chicks. Most of the pecking is probably associated with trying to re-establish pecking order within the flock. I would separate the chicks until they could be integrated into the flock around 8 weeks of age. At that point, they will be big enough to run away if pecked until the pecking order is established.

 

[farmdude]

My hens are only nice to the chicks they hatch out. They can tell the difference better than I can. I've hens kill chicks that weren't theirs that tried to snuggle in. To prevent this, I either isolate the hen & chciks from each other, or what I do now is let the hens share a nest and set the eggs together so they hatch out same day and they brood and raise the chicks together.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

My hens (with the exception of my sex link who ate her babies) were always nice to the babies they hatched out. I would watch them close and take the babies out if they get to rough...one hard peck and they could be dead

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Greenfamilyfarms, they are not her chicks however the roo is nice to them never once tried to peck at them or chase them.

Farmdude, they are kept in a large dog kennel in the coop. I wanted to make the transition to the coop easier and give them a little time to know each other. They only get about 30 minutes of time out of the cage a day.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

Your hen and roo are very young-- teenagers themselves really.Their personalities at that age are like teenagers-- very unreliable. I would let the babies grow more before trying to join them to the older ones.

 

[farmdude]

they'reHISchickens :

Your hen and roo are very young-- teenagers themselves really.Their personalities at that age are like teenagers-- very unreliable. I would let the babies grow more before trying to join them to the older ones.

I think this says it best.​

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Well I think my now 16 week old chickens are sorta bonding with the chicks. Found their cage wide open this morning and the chicks were where the older ones roost. Every one was okay. Thouh they were happy to be put back in their cage. Lol