Mean Momma?

[jeepchick]

So I have a broody japanese bantam sitting on her 5 chicks and she screams at then and gets all big and puts her wings out like shes going to attack them. I thought this was just her "yelling at her kids" until I went and checked on them when I heard screaming again and saw her pick up one of the chicks by the neck fluff and shake it around violently. Is this normal momma chicken behavior or is she trying to cull one of these chicks? I can't tell if its one she was targeting because they all look alike almost. At any rate I took the chicks away and gave them to the other Momma that is sitting on chicks that are the same age. I gave the mean momma some fertle eggs to sit on and she was pretty angry at first but seems to be settling down.

 

[mljohnson05]

I think you did the right thing....any sign of aggression or harmful acts towards the chicks shoulf be a red flag to get them out fast.

Best Wishes,
Laura

 

[jeepchick]

She doesn't appear to be very interested in the eggs now either....not that I can blame her after I stole her babies. She sits on them for a few minutes at a time and then gets up to scratch around in the box.

 

[jeepchick]

OK so I think I figured out what her problem was....the momma that wouldn't sit on the eggs kept getting up and scratching around in the shavings....so I thought maybe she didnt like the eggs on the hay. When she was sitting before she was in shavings for her bedding. So I took her and the eggs and put her in a nest with shavings instead of hay and she was a happy girl.

I was gone most of the afternoon and when I came home checked on the momma that I gave the chicks to. She has 7 japanese bantams and 2 guineas that are the same age. When I gave them to her it was all fine and dandy and when I came home the guineas were missing!

After looking around a little bit I found them huddled under about 4 inches of hay in the far corner without momma. I guess she figured out that they arent chickens after all

So now she is on one side of the brooder box with the chicks and the poor little guineas are seperated on the other side having been rejected by 2 mommas in 1 day. Please someone tell me that guinea keets dont have the capacity to feel rejection like people do because it just makes me sad. I will have to go tomorrow and buy them a stuffed animal or something to cuddle with. For now I have a rolled up scarf in there for them with a "wing" made out of the end.