Is my broody DONE with her chicks?

[nuts4chickens]

I have a first time broody who just hatched out her first clutch two weeks ago. She has been a loving mom...until today. Today I caught her slinging their poor little bodies across the pen and then calling them to eat only to peck the living daylights out of them. They are still so very tiny and I hate this is happening. I had to remove her from the broody pen and she has no interest in rejoining them despite their cries. Is it time to give it up or is she having a bad day and should I try to put her back with them in a few hours? Isn't it awfully soon for her to give up on them?

 

[MomtoSyd&Emma]

Quote:
i wouldnt risk my chicks with her, I would put them in a brooder to be safe! BUT I am an overprotective Mom so it could just be me, but you can bet your bippy if my first time broody Momma starts that, out she goes and the babies will stay inside with out her! lol

 

[SallyF]

I second the above. My broody stays with her chicks until they're almost as big is she is. Your hen just doesn't seem to have that mothering instinct yet. The chicks will do better by themselves.

 

[fishermans wife]

I have broody's that just finished week 3 and they are still totally engaged in being Mommy's - but that is the extent of my experience. I hope someone more knowledgeable will chime in - but if it were me - I would set the chicks up into their own brooder, and end the relationship with mom. They are too little to be abandoned, and wouldn't survive. The other hens will probably go after them too if the mother will not protect them.

I have read on here that some hens just do not make good mothers.

So sorry this happened

, but for me, I would rather be safe than sorry. Good luck!

 

[aggieterpkatie]

My broody with 1 chick leaves a lot to be desired. I call her a "teen mom" because she likes to be a mom when it's convenient.

(no offense to any real teen moms). Her chick is about 4 weeks old now, and still small but mostly feathered (he's very ugly) and she roost up high without him (he roosts on the lowest rung). She frequently leaves him and runs off to be with the other chickens. He used to peep for her loudly and she'd come running back, but now he's learning to be independent. I feel kinda bad for the poor baby.

 

[NellaBean]

I had 3 broodies sharing 3 chicks. They gave up mothering duties one by one by about week 4. The last hen would still sit on the babies at night only, but leave them on their own during the day. First couple nights she stopped sitting on them and snagged the highest perch, the smallest stayed under my big cochin rooster at night (aw). They are now about 4-5 weeks old and on their own during the day......however nobody bothers them. The mommas have no interest in them whatsoever....and 1 is sitting on a new batch of eggs.

I would remove the babies from the mom if she is being aggressive towards them. When my broodies gave up the kids, they just starting ignoring them....NOT attacking them.

 

[nuts4chickens]

Ok- I think I will just put them in the brooder where they will stay safe. Poor little guys....into the brooder they go and I will be sure to give them some extra lovins.

 

[NC Chicken Lover]

My first-ever broody left her chicks by 3 weeks. She started laying again by then and just decided to sleep in the big coop with the older chickens. Left the poor little chicks all alone one night. She also attacked two of them and almost killed them. After that, I kept the chicks locked in their own little pen (within the big pen) for a couple more weeks. Last week I let them out again and they are doing fine. They have a tiny doorway so they can have their own space for safety, feeding and water. To put the icing on the cake, their mother is broody again---BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA HAPPEN!

Good luck. The chicks are really pitiful when they are left by their mama. It breaks my heart for the little babies

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Yup, it seems that each hen has her own component of broody skills, some just are more devoted than others. But I've not seen any of my Mama hens attacking their own chicks, they usually just leave them alone to rejoin the adult flock. My birds usually leave between 4-9 weeks. But tonight I noticed one hen who has left her 3.5-week-old kids, at sundown she flew up into the big ficus tree a lot of the other bantams use for roosting in. It may have been what the voices in her head were telling her, it may be temporary insanity due to the fact this latest family consisted of 2 chicks and 2 ducklings.

Chicks are precocial, with sufficient instincts to care for themselves from day 1. Of course they need protection & provision, and whenever your hens leave their chicks they'll be fine with just you to tend to them.

 

[Miss Molly]

This Forum was very helpful..... Thank you
My Broody has eight chicks and today she decided to joy the Big flock back in the Main Coop.
The Chicks looked so said with out Momma So I put Momma back in the Brooding pen with them...
I quess tomorrow I will let her join the big flock and put a light in the Broody Pen for the Baby Chicks safety ...