Mom abandoning chicks?

[ArekE]

2 weeks ago my black austrolorp hatched out 4 chicks and was absolutely great with them. Now as of today another hen has chicks hatching. I don't know what it is about another hen hatching chicks but the austrolorp is attached to her and will not stop attempting to get at her while also completely egnoring her poor babies who are constantly screaming. The one time she did make it in the broody area she viciously attacked the other hen. Any thoughts on what might be going on?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Not really. What is the temperature there?

You can try segregating the mother and 2 week old chicks so she doesn't have a choice but to stay with them and avoid the other hen.

 

[centrarchid]

I raise lots of broods every year in free-range setting. Most of time hens with chicks avoid each other although when conflicts arise they can be serious, at least as far as chicks are concerned even when they are not targets. They are left unattended during the actual scrap. After scrap hens can be exhuasted and often beat up. The loosing hen may then be denied access to roosting / over night brooding sites providing optimal cover. Additionaly, chicks can also be targeted. Overall, I like to space birds out. Hens coming of nest with young broods most likely to get into scraps and their chicks are most vulnerable.

As for the why, resources can be less than what all parties need so they fight over those resources.

 

[ArekE]

Not really. What is the temperature there?

You can try segregating the mother and 2 week old chicks so she doesn't have a choice but to stay with them and avoid the other hen.

The temp was around 95 today and as it turned out she layed an egg.