Mama Hen picking new chick, is this normal?

[Tretinker]

Never had a broody hatch eggs so we are new to this.

Our broody girls first chick hatched but we have been watch on the camera and she is pecking at the chick quite a lot and not gently, is this normal?

No mites/lice but Marshmallow just seems too rough.

 

[IvysAnimals]

It is pretty normal for them to do this but very dangerous. Separating them and hand-raising them is best for the safest and best chance of survival.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I would keep a watchful eye on them, my broody pecked them when they first hatched to get them back under her then she'd leave them be

 

[Isadora]

It depends on the pecking. A lot of broodies will peck at their chicks but it's more of a herding motion to get them back underneath. Some broodies are just not good moms and attack the chicks. Why don't you look up a few examples on YouTube so that you can see the difference?

 

[Tretinker]

Thank you all, I was at work earlier so I couldn't keep a watch but I've spent the last hour with her and she was occasionally peck the chick but much more gently and more like as part of their conversation.

I will watch some videos and keep and spend more time watching them. I think 2 more eggs will hatch shortly so I don't want her to get overwhelmed if she isn't managing. I've set up a second brooder with a heat plate just in case.

 

[Tretinker]

Mum is doing better so hopefully this little one will be ok and it's brothers and sisters hatch soon!

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Congratulations on your first hatched chick! Yes the pecking is normal; since chickens don't have hands, they use their beaks to teach their chicks to stay close to mama! Just a heads up, the next "disturbing" behavior you may witness is when mom takes her chicks on their first few outings. It's instinct for broodies to scratch the ground to find food, even when the food is in the feeder. And when chicks get behind mom and her scratchy feet, they sometimes go flying through the air! Again, this is totally normal and the chicks learn very quickly to stay away from mom's scratchy feet. I predict you will Love watching Marshmallow raise her chicks as nature intended. Again, congratulations.

 

[Tretinker]

Thank you!

I'm having visions of flying chicks! I'm so glad you said though because I would have definitely been worrying about that!

So we have no more chicks this morning, last night two had internal pipped and there was some movement but we didn't want to mess with them too much so the third looks ok but we couldn't see internal pipping the way it had been under mama but today is definitely day 21 at the latest.

 

[The Birb King]

I would separate the chick so it doesn't get killed.(They are very fragile) One time I had 2 mix breed hens raising 4 mix breed chicks and 2 serama chicks. They were doing good and them one of the hens picked up a serama chick by her head and then dropped her. I stopped it and then showed the hen the chick and told her that was her baby and she cant do that. Well, everything was great after that! All the chicks are fully grown and the 2 serama chicks are hens. They are very sweet and I will be showing them soon. I think the mother hen was doing that just because she was a first time mother and got confused.

 

[Tretinker]

I would separate the chick so it doesn't get killed.(They are very fragile) One time I had 2 mix breed hens raising 4 mix breed chicks and 2 serama chicks. They were doing good and them one of the hens picked up a serama chick by her head and then dropped her. I stopped it and then showed the hen the chick and told her that was her baby and she cant do that. Well, everything was great after that! All the chicks are fully grown and the 2 serama chicks are hens. They are very sweet and I will be showing them soon. I think the mother hen was doing that just because she was a first time mother and got confused.

Thank you for your reply. Marshmallow ended up being a great mama but unfortunately I found the chick dead yesterday, it's my fault and I feel terrible.