Mom acts angry

[Larrycauna]

As @chickens really states, it's unlikely this pullet is actually taking over the nurturing of the chicks. Here's how you can tell if this young pullet is actually nurturing these chicks or simply interacting with them on a peer basis.

A few years ago, I had a six-year old hen all of a sudden out of the blue decide to take over the rearing of four six-week old chicks I had brooded myself. She actually developed broody hormones that put her in the mode for nurturing chicks. The clue was the "broody cluck" she would emit as she interacted with the chicks. Only broodies emit this sound, which is a rapid, low key popping, sort of like an old kiddie push toy sounded like.

It's not unheard of for even young chicks to take over the care of younger chicks. Usually these are Silkies, a breed known to want to be mothers.

Your pullet isn't being "mean" when she pecks at and orders the younger chicks around. This is simply how she communicates. The chicks will let out a startled chirp when she does this, but it doesn't mean they're harmed in any way.

Thanks for responding. My wife said the lone pullet was looked lonely. So I put them in another cage and put them in with her for the night. When I checked the next morning she was laying on top of the cage. So I let them out. She ushered them to a laying box and layed with them. After a while they all got out and ate, drank and wandered around the coop. That night they got back in the laying box. Like a routine. Today she rides herd on them but they seem to do their own thing. She does encourage the four to stick together and seems to get pissed when the fly. She is always alert because we have cats. But she just keeps an alert on them. I have never seen her overly aggresive just annoyed. Sometimes she chases the wild birds away. All five are Americaunas.

 

[Larrycauna]

What happens here with my weaned Chicks that are Momma raised is they form little sub flocks where the older Chicks boss they younger weanling and they all get along...

She definately lets them know who is in charge. The others seem to take turns trying to be in charge.

 

[chickens really]

Yes....Big sister in a way..Chicks are following her lead and maturity ....How nice they have each other...

 

[Larrycauna]

Sounds like the Ameruacna is a lower ranked Pullet so took up with the Chicks...More of a sub group of Birds...She will be top Hen in her little sub group....Nothing to do with mothering them.The Chicks will not try to out rank her.

She was our only chicken after the other one died. They were both the same age and she seemed to sense that she was ill. But she definately took over as the boss with the new chicks. Thank you.

 

[chickens really]

She was our only chicken after the other one died. They were both the same age and she seemed to sense that she was ill. But she definately took over as the boss with the new chicks. Thank you.

Your very welcome and congrats on how the Flock dynamics are working out....Its how it should be....

 

[Larrycauna]

Yes....Big sister in a way..Chicks are following her lead and maturity ....How nice they have each other...

It's been very fun, interesting and learning for the whole family including the cats. So glad we took the leap.

 

[chickens really]

It's been very fun, interesting and learning for the whole family including the cats. So glad we took the leap.

My Cat loves my Chickens...She sometimes slaps them but it's her day time television laying and watching them...

 

[MageofMist]

I had a rooster take over the chick care duties at one point. I was brooder raising 5 silkie chicks as they were having hatching complications and mama didn't accept them back, and for 2 months the roo and hen chased and pecked at the chicks and one point Rooroo picked one up and tried to run off with it, though I stopped him... But then one day, Hen-Hen went broody.

Rooroo became depressed and started sulking in the hallway, and feeling bad, I picked up the sulking marshmallow and sat down with him while the 2 month olds were out on the couch with me... After the youngsters tried to eat his face and I gave them pokes to tell them off, they then snuggled and he proceeded to take them under his wing, quite literally as they'd snuggle up and under him.

Hen-Hen was still aggressive, but Rooroo stayed out of the scuffles as the youngsters could just run away from her. But one day Peep-Peep, his young son, around 4-5 months of age decided to fight back against the hen when she was chasing him and his siblings. It lasted only a second as Rooroo ran in and kicked THE HEN away from his son, which I didn't expect. Peep-Peep suffered a small cut on the earlobe from the hen, but other than that, he was fine.

Rooroo would then maneuver himself between his mate and the young pullets and cockerel to act as a barrier between the two groups until the tensions began to fade. Now Hen-Hen is still a bit of a bully, but isn't nearly as bad as she used to be and has accepted Peep-Peep as a rooster despite his young age of 6 months.

 

[Larrycauna]

I had a rooster take over the chick care duties at one point. I was brooder raising 5 silkie chicks as they were having hatching complications and mama didn't accept them back, and for 2 months the roo and hen chased and pecked at the chicks and one point Rooroo picked one up and tried to run off with it, though I stopped him... But then one day, Hen-Hen went broody.

Rooroo became depressed and started sulking in the hallway, and feeling bad, I picked up the sulking marshmallow and sat down with him while the 2 month olds were out on the couch with me... After the youngsters tried to eat his face and I gave them pokes to tell them off, they then snuggled and he proceeded to take them under his wing, quite literally as they'd snuggle up and under him.

Hen-Hen was still aggressive, but Rooroo stayed out of the scuffles as the youngsters could just run away from her. But one day Peep-Peep, his young son, around 4-5 months of age decided to fight back against the hen when she was chasing him and his siblings. It lasted only a second as Rooroo ran in and kicked THE HEN away from his son, which I didn't expect. Peep-Peep suffered a small cut on the earlobe from the hen, but other than that, he was fine.

Rooroo would then maneuver himself between his mate and the young pullets and cockerel to act as a barrier between the two groups until the tensions began to fade. Now Hen-Hen is still a bit of a bully, but isn't nearly as bad as she used to be and has accepted Peep-Peep as a rooster despite his young age of 6 months.

Great story. Guess who just never know what to expect.