Momma turns on 5-week-old chicks

[Fishychick]

So, today was the big day, integration day. Perky and her five 5-week-old chicks were getting cramped in the small quarantine run attached to the main run so I let them in the big run with the rooster and two adult hens. I put down straw and seed so everyone was busy mostly eating that at first. So, the rooster and two other hens didn't bother the babies at all. The two other hens did bite at Perky a few times. But, here's the thing, a switch was immediately turned in Perky. She went from doting mom to running after the chicks and biting them! The chicks were screaming and running and seemed totally confused as to why mommy now hates them! Perky went up on the highest perch in the house which is her favorite spot. All her mothering skills are gone. The chicks are lost without her. They don't know where to get food and water (they can see it). They don't know where to sleep. There's a storm coming so I chased them back in to the little run which is at least tarped over. They usually sleep in the dog house in there with Perky but, without their mother, they don't know what to do! During the day, I am putting Hope in the quarantine run. Ah, it just started to pour rain! I hope the babies are okay! Anyway, Hope was an add-on egg from Billie five days later that I put in the incubator when Perky abandoned the nest. Perky rejected her so I've been raising her (afraid him) in the basement. I'm putting Hope out only on warm, dry days during the day and then keeping her inside the rest of the time at least for another week or two. She (I will call her a she!) is a spaz and needs to get out and exercise. Hope is smart but the others, I'm sorry to say this but my chicks seem to be intellectually deficient. Should I do anything to try to help them? I put one on the very low perch in the house where they should sleep, and she screamed and tried to go through the window to join her siblings instead of going through the door so I had to help her down. They just seem to scream and run back and forth with no guidance. I sure hope the tarp is keeping them dry enough but I don't think they were smart enough to go in the dog house where Perky took them every night. Perky is a nut ball and so are her adoptive kids! (I don't think she is the biological mother of any of them).

 

[sourland]

She is weaning them.

 

[Fishychick]

No, it was not a slow process. It was instant. She changed the instant that I opened that door. She doesn't like them anymore, and they are so confused.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

I read that they wean the chicks by leaving them, or chasing them. It sounds hard to watch, but this could be nature’s (or Perky’s) way.

 

[50-45-1]

I had a hen ween chicks at what i thought was to early, and it is hard to watch. I also did not allow her to hatch chicks after that.
What i observed was even though she did not run around with them any more they still found there way under her at night up on the roost. And they still kept near (not to close) her during the day. They soon accepted their fate and were fine with it and became a little flock of there own.
If the other chickens are not aggresive twards them, i would put them in the coop with the others and give them places to hide and escape.
Good luck!

 

[Sea Wolf]

Did you try putting her back in the section with just the chicks like before? If you leave them be in the separate section with Hope they will sort things out. When it gets dark, if they haven't gone into the doghouse, try putting them in there. They will now appreciate some low perches in there probably.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've had broody hens wean their chicks at 3 weeks. I've had some wait until 9 weeks or a bit more. I've had broody hens stop taking care of them in total at once. I've had hens take care of them during daytime but not at night, I've had hens take care of them at night but not during daytime. I even had one take her chicks to the roosts at 2 weeks, most wait until after 4 weeks. There are no standards, each broody does her own thing.

Should you do anything to try to help them? You're looking at them, I'm not. The only thing I do is to assure they are sleeping somewhere safe from predators. Other than that they are on their own, even the three week old ones. But I don't like blanket statements because each of us are unique with our unique set-ups and flocks. You may see something that causes you to intervene. In general I find the less I interfere the less harm I do, but I'm not obsessive about it. If I have a need, I handle it.

 

[chickens really]

She weaned them and just leave them to figure things out. Do not remove them from the flock.