Midge's story : A feral hen's ability to adapt

[Ursuline Chick]

I think this picture gives a warning of an impending disaster.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...l-hens-ability-to-adapt.1519080/post-25622030

A feral hen will not be able to keep 15 chicks warm and fed. If Midge had remained feral the probability is many of the chicks would have died from hunger, predation etc.
You mentioned she had sat and hatched before and her chick/chicks survived. This would suggest she wasn't a serial baby killer.
This was Cheepy. She was a Bantam. She hatched 10. She originally had 24 eggs in her clutch in an outside nest. The father was a Marans and it wasn't long before the chicks were as big as Cheepy. Cheepy abandoned her chicks very early and spent much of her day hiding from them. She did attack a couple while they were still very young.
View attachment 3097605
The female chicks that survived went on to hatch their own offspring without incident.
I have known one other Bantam hen that was a chick killer. She started to injure them as soon as they hatched. I just didn't let her sit and hatch again.

@Shadrach Thank you so much. I guess what I thought was a wonderful, safe broody condo. Midge felt was a trap that kept her confined with those chicks

 

[sdm111]

Every time I read t boy I think of Bobby Hebert's son T. Bob

 

[sdm111]

I had a hen kill every one of her chicks
No reason I could see. Still had Down

 

[Shadrach]

@Shadrach Thank you so much. I guess what I thought was a wonderful, safe broody condo. Midge felt was a trap that kept her confined with those chicks

Maybe. I did think about butting in earlier with a warning but I've become reluctant to do this because I've had some very hostile reactions in the past.
It's a shame but you were not to know so don't feel guilty.
Should something similar happen again ime the best thing to do s let mum get on with it. Sometimes it's very hard to watch. I provide food and water but even then some of the more feral hens will not let the chicks eat the feed and seem determined to provide for the chicks on their own. I suppose this is understandable.
If I've found the mum and her nest before the chicks hatch I remove eggs leaving six which is still a lot of mouths to feed but more manageable than 15.
This is Cheepy's story.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/shadrachs-stories.1263724/post-20295718

 

[chanceosunshine]

Midge was a beautiful little Bantam. Thank you for sharing the story. With @Shadrach ‘s added information its really a lesson to be learned by all of us.

 

[Laddu]

View attachment 3056193
Mom scratching and calling everyone over to feed. They now have a bare ground run.

They're are so cutee

 

[TinyRaptorDodos]

The chicks are getting bigger every day, poor Midge can't seem to get them all under her anymore.View attachment 3070407

Het coloring is similar to my oldest hen, a black sex-link, but Midge is barred, so pretty.

We don’t have any feral chickens here, actually I just recently found out some places do have feral chickens a few days ago

Good job saving her and her baby! She definitely looks happy with her chicks and safety

 

[raingarden]

This is Monday morning quarterbacking, but when faced with a similar situation maybe it wold be prudent slpit the clutch. Put some in a brooder and let her raise the rest.