Mama hen treating chicks like a snack bar...

[dahlia333]

I have a mama hen who hatched out some bantam Polish chicks. Mama hen is a bantam faverolle. Well, the chicks are 3 weeks old and their feathers are starting to come in on their heads. Mama keeps pulling them out. Don't know if there is much I can do except separate them but the whole point was to have her raise the chicks. I'm really bummed.
I did put some blue kote on their heads. Just wondering if anyone else has had the same problem with a non-Polish mama raising Polish chicks.
I don't think they make chicken helmets

 

[Judy]

At 3 weeks she may be through with mothering them, and this may be her way of "kicking them out of the house." If the blukote doesn't stop the feather picking I guess you'll have to keep them separate. Chickens with "top knots" often have this problem when living with other chickens.

I don't think they make chicken helmets, either.

 

[dahlia333]

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping it wouldn't be an issue.

 

[sourland]

Sadly enough other chickens, evidently mother hens included, seem to think that the crests of Polish chickens are for plucking. It happens frequently in mixed flocks. Maybe the others are just jealous.

 

[mljohnson05]

Quote:
Agree with this..it happens more times than Not....last resort B4 you break them up....Try VICKs Vapor rub...A tiny bi on the area she is plucking...will give her a VERY bad taste and sometimes stops the behavior