Mother hen is hurting her chicks : - (

[reginasilva]

I'm new to having a mother hen and I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was not expecting her to hurt her newborn chicks. Is this normal? She actually pecked all the hair off of one of them. I've now taken the babies from her.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

It does happen - and sometimes the hen will be a terrible mother all her life - or the next clutch she could be a wonderful mom - just like people

I have a broody who is great with any chick - even those who are not hers - in fact I just gave her a chick that one of our ducks hatched yesterday, her clutch is almost a week old already. She dotes on that little baby and makes sure it is right up with her others - eating and drinking. If she is feeding her chicks and another hen's chick comes up - Blondie will feed it also.


But I have another broody who will attack any chick who is not hers - she can really be vicious.

 

[PunkinPeep]

No, this is not normal. I do have some friends who have had similar problems though and thought maybe the mothers were too immature? I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it. I have had 6 broody hatches so far, and none of mine have hurt their chicks. I can't figure it out. I'm glad you were able to rescue the other chicks from her. That's what i would have done.