Mother hen not protecting her chicks from other chickens

[Thislennie]

Hey everyone. One of my hens hatched 3 adorable baby chicks 3ish weeks ago. Whenever there is any chickens around her, she will run. She'll forget about the chicks and run off.. I'm thinking it's because of the pecking order. She's low on the order. I'm afraid if she's not going to protect her chicks, I'm going to have to give them away.

 

[DobieLover]

Hey everyone. One of my hens hatched 3 adorable baby chicks 3ish weeks ago. Whenever there is any chickens around her, she will run. She'll forget about the chicks and run off.. I'm thinking it's because of the pecking order. She's low on the order. I'm afraid if she's not going to protect her chicks, I'm going to have to give them away.

The chicks are three weeks old and the mother is running away when other chickens approach? Is she separated from the flock by a fence or something? Can you take and upload a video of this behavior to YouTube and post a link here?
About where did this hen rank in the pecking order before going broody?

 

[aart]

She'll forget about the chicks and run off.. I'm thinking it's because of the pecking order. She's low on the order.

Not a good sign @Thislennie .
Low order birds can be ferocious and claim their new place and status in the order.....
..... or not.
Are the other birds attacking the mama or the babies?

Did she set and hatch in with the flock or separately or....?

 

[Mvan42]

Is this her first hatch? Is she running after the others when they get to close or just running from the other birds?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum from Louisiana. Glad you joined.

A little information here could really help a lot. What has happened and what does housing look like? Did she hatch with the flock or was she separated for incubation and hatch? Have the chicks been with the flock at all or are they separated? How big in feet or meters are any coops or shelters you are using? How big are any runs or do they free range? How do any coops, shelters, or runs tie together? A few photos could really help.

What happens to the chicks when another hen chases the broody hen away? Do they get chased or are they ignored? Where do the broody and the chicks sleep at night, with the rest of the flock or somewhere else. What kind of nighttime temperatures do you have? How cold does it get?

I've had two different broody hens wean their chicks at three weeks old, left them totally on their own to make their way with the flock. The same age as yours. Those chicks managed fine. But those broody hens hatched with the flock and raised their chicks with the flock. They spent three weeks teaching the other hens to leave the babies alone. The weather was warm, it was not a factor. They had a big coop and over 3,000 square feet, over 280 square meters, of room outside. I don't know if your situation is anything like that.

If you can tell us what has happened and what you have to work with we may be able to help. Without that kind of information I can't help you.

 

[Thislennie]

Is this her first hatch? Is she running after the others when they get to close or just running from the other birds?

Yes, this is her first hatch. She's low on the pecking order.. I separated her, but her flock can stil see her through my fence and see her chicks. I usually let her out, but when she sees a higher rank hen or any chicken, she runs. She leaves her chicks.. I've never seen a chicken do this. Usually, a lower rank hen PROTECTS her chicks instead of RUNNING AWAY.. She's a good mama though, her chicks are healthy. But I'm not going to let her be broody again because of this.

 

[Thislennie]

Not a good sign @Thislennie .
Low order birds can be ferocious and claim their new place and status in the order.....
..... or not.
Are the other birds attacking the mama or the babies?

Did she set and hatch in with the flock or separately or...

This is her first hatch. She was and is a low rank on the pecking order. I separated her from the flock because they wouldn't let her brood. She was doing a good job teaching them. But now, she leaves her chicks alone, doesn't protect her chicks from the flock OR other animals, basically everything a mother shouldn't be.

 

[Ridgerunner]

This is her first hatch. She was and is a low rank on the pecking order. I separated her from the flock because they wouldn't let her brood. She was doing a good job teaching them. But now, she leaves her chicks alone, doesn't protect her chicks from the flock OR other animals, basically everything a mother shouldn't be.

I'm wondering if she has weaned her chicks. I've had hens wean them this young.

 

[aart]

I separated her from the flock because they wouldn't let her brood.

So you've never let the broody and her chicks out with the flock?

 

[Thislennie]

This is her first hatch. She was and is a low rank on the pecking order. I separated her from the flock because they wouldn't let her brood. She was doing a good job teaching them. But now, she leaves her chicks alone, doesn't protect her chicks from the flock OR other animals, basically everything a mother shouldn't be.

So you've never let the broody and her chicks out with the flock?

She's out with the flock right now. But she usually runs away from them and go hide somewhere..