Momma hen pulling her own chicks feathers out

[HeidiGretchen]

I have 3 hens who've hatched chicks in the last 2 weeks. One of the mommas has started attacking her own chicks.

I had noticed her behavior was off within a couple days of hatching - her chicks are just over a week old. I told me husband that she acts like she has post-partum psychosis. But, other than her chicks being more fearful of us than the others, she has been caring for them. We let her take them out of the brooder box 2 days ago, and still fine. This morning, I took out some scrambled eggs, and I noticed that the other mommas shared the food between their chicks, but this momma squawked and chased her chicks away from the food, even pulling one away by its wing feathers. When my daughter checked on the chicks just now, one had about half of its wing feathers missing, and even had a little blood from the feather pull.

We have taken the chicks and moved them into a closed brooder so they are safe. I need experienced advice please.
Do I keep the chicks in the brooder until they're big enough to be reintegrated with the flock and can hold their own?
Do I separate the momma - I have a crate I can keep in the coop so she's "locked up" but still with the flock. Is she a danger to the other chicks? The mommas are protective, but...
Can I try to place these 2 chicks with one of the other mommas? The 1st mommas chicks are a few days older than these, the 3rd mommas chicks are a few days younger. They are still in a brooder box in the coop but not able to mix with the rest of the flock as they're still too new.

I'm so upset that this momma is acting this way. I want to do what's best for all of them. Advice please! Thank you!

 

[nuthatched]

I'd raise the chicks yourself or try to sneak them under one of the under one of the mommas at night.

 

[Yardmom]

The other mothers will likely see the chicks as intruders. Raiseing the chicks in a brooder would be safest for them.
The mother will go back to just being part of the flock in a day or two.

 

[HeidiGretchen]

@nuthatched @Yardmom
Thank you both so much for your advice. I'm going to just keep the chicks in the brooder until they're bigger. I don't love doing the whole re-integration thing later, but I'd rather deal with that than have the babies hurt.
The babies squawked all afternoon, and were looking for momma to sleep under, but I have a heat lamp on part of the brooder, so hopefully they'll settle fine. Momma was looking for the babies off and on, and it broke my heart to hear her calling for them at dusk. I am way too attached to my chickens.

 

[nuthatched]

@nuthatched @Yardmom
Thank you both so much for your advice. I'm going to just keep the chicks in the brooder until they're bigger. I don't love doing the whole re-integration thing later, but I'd rather deal with that than have the babies hurt.
The babies squawked all afternoon, and were looking for momma to sleep under, but I have a heat lamp on part of the brooder, so hopefully they'll settle fine. Momma was looking for the babies off and on, and it broke my heart to hear her calling for them at dusk. I am way too attached to my chickens.

Everyone will be fine, it's for the best.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

This morning, I took out some scrambled eggs, and I noticed that the other mommas shared the food between their chicks, but this momma squawked and chased her chicks away from the food, even pulling one away by its wing feathers.

That's really abnormal/unusual behavior, and made me wonder if the broody didn't eat/drink enough while incubating the eggs, and her energy/nutrient reserves are too depleted, her electrolytes are out of balance, etc. The fact that broodies are so self-less when they have chicks, giving All the tasty treats to them, is one reason i find broodies to be so amazing. I know it was heart-wrenching hearing her call for her chicks this eve, but I agree that unfortunately the chicks did need to be removed since she proved incapable of raising them. But I would pay close attention to her health, making sure she is gaining weight lost after incubating her eggs, is parasite/worm-free, etc.

 

[HeidiGretchen]

That's really abnormal/unusual behavior, and made me wonder if the broody didn't eat/drink enough while incubating the eggs, and her energy/nutrient reserves are too depleted, her electrolytes are out of balance, etc. The fact that broodies are so self-less when they have chicks, giving All the tasty treats to them, is one reason i find broodies to be so amazing. I know it was heart-wrenching hearing her call for her chicks this eve, but I agree that unfortunately the chicks did need to be removed since she proved incapable of raising them. But I would pay close attention to her health, making sure she is gaining weight lost after incubating her eggs, is parasite/worm-free, etc.

I will definitely keep an eye on her, but to be honest, she was the only broody who did actually leave her nest regularly to eat and drink and just take a break. Our white bantam tends to leave the nest when I open the coop each morning, and probably once more during the day. She looks terrible by the time her chicks hatch, but she's a very good momma. This was her 2nd time hatching babies. Our barred rock was so bad about getting off the nest that I actually took her off a few times, and put food and electrolyte water in the box with her. Temps were around 100 with heat indexes over 115 during the last 7 days of their brooding, so I was extremely worried. She's doing really well, though, too. It's just the Polish Crested, and while she was sitting on the eggs, I commented to my kids that she was so good about leaving the nest. They worried she was gone too much, but the eggs did fine and she honestly doesn't look any worse - not like the other 2 who are obviously a bit ragged with pale combs. I've been giving electrolytes in the water for all the chickens because of the heat, and giving them all extra protein. I'll just keep watching carefully.
Side note, it is amazing watching the good mommas. They teach the chicks so quickly how to do all the chicken things, lol. They share the crickets they catch, have them all rolling in dust, and call them all back when they get too brave. Chickens have amazing maternal instincts!

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Based on the info you gave, it doesn't sound like there is any health reason for your Polish broody to act as she did. Such strange behavior for a broody with week-old chicks though; if she called for them that eve she hadn't lost her broody hormones. Yes you are right; it's amazing to watch good mommas raise their chicks. Broody hens change from mini-velociraptors that share with no one and do their darndest to try to steal treats from all their friends, to selfless creatures who put their chick's needs and welfare high above their own. I'm glad you are getting to see how good mommas act; the Polish momma's actions were no good at all!

 

[Peppercorngal]

Raise them alone in a brooder. They will re-integrate into the flock later and be fine. I have a hen that gets broody every year. Every year when the chicks hatch she tries to kill them. I have to pay close attention and remove them from her. They are raised in the brooder and love me for it. My friendliest chickens are the ones Mom tried to peck to death. Not all chickens make good moms.

 

[HeidiGretchen]

So just an update...
The chicks have done well, separated in a brooder in my garage. I just moved them into the coop today, and they will stay in a dog crate I have covered in hardware cloth inside the coop for a while until I feel comfortable letting them out with the other chickens.

The crazy momma who had attacked the chicks took a few days to settle down. She called and called for her babies, then started "co-mothering" with one of the other new mommas. That momma is our "top hen" in the pecking order and surprisingly didn't mind crazy momma hanging around. So, although crazy had to have her own chicks taken away, she has settled down and is playing momma along with another hen. lol

@Peppercorngal , I'm glad you mentioned your hen that turns on her chicks every year. If this hen goes broody again, I will know to keep a close watch. I'm hopeful it was just first time mom stuff, but I guess it could be something she does every time she has chicks.