Mother hen protecting chicks against one hen but not the other

[Hellomylittleladies]

Hi, hope the more seasoned chicken rearers can help me with deciding if my mother hen is protective enough.
I have a hen with 4-day old chicks. She is the unchallenged boss of my little flock, rather mean. I have two other hens #2 and #3 (numbered equal to their pecking order).
The mother hen has been enclosed with the chicks in the lower run section of the coop, within full view of the other two hens.
Yesterday evening and this evening, the mother hen was free-ranging for less than an hour with the chicks. #2 hen was chased away so badly that she stayed far away from the chicks. #3 hen is the lowest on the pecking order, but the most obsessive. She always tried to stick close to the mother hen pre-chicks. Now #3 is up to her usual behaviour, desperate to join the mother hen. She is following the mother hen and her chicks around, and whenever the chicks get within reach, she pecks at them and today I saw her pick up one and fling it.
Now the problem is, the mother hen is only putting her body between #3 and the chicks. She calls to the chicks, and sometimes returns them to the coop, but she isn't pecking at #3 at all! She never had a problem pre-chicks pecking #3 until it squats submissively in terror. Basically she is not being aggressive towards #3, despite her aggression towards #2.
What should I do? The chicks sometimes get separated from the mother hen for a moment, e.g. between a bush or behind the coop, and I am afraid #3 will seriously injure them then. Does the mother hen just need a bit of supervised time to figure it out, or does this situation raise red flags?
TIA!

 

[Debbie292d]

Is this her first time having chicks? It could be she's just not sure of herself but nature usually takes over and she should be protecting her chicks from every chicken.

I would fear #3 will hurt those chicks so maybe could you put #3 somewhere else for a couple of days? Maybe that would let the momma focus better on her chicks and perhaps when #3 returns, she'll be better about it. If not, unfortunately you'll have to keep her away from them until they get more feathers so they can run/fly faster from her.

 

[Perris]

I would advise you not to intervene. The broody knows more about the other hens and about raising chicks than you (or I) do. They live together 24/7 and work out the flock dynamics; you just drop by occasionally.

I have had multiple broodies raise scores of chicks within the multi-generational, multi-roo flock here, and no chick has ever been seriously harmed by an adult chicken. It is easy to misread a little disciplinary peck as an attack, and simple interest and curiosity as a threat.

 

[Hellomylittleladies]

Is this her first time having chicks? It could be she's just not sure of herself but nature usually takes over and she should be protecting her chicks from every chicken.

I would fear #3 will hurt those chicks so maybe could you put #3 somewhere else for a couple of days? Maybe that would let the momma focus better on her chicks and perhaps when #3 returns, she'll be better about it. If not, unfortunately you'll have to keep her away from them until they get more feathers so they can run/fly faster from her.

Thanks, yes, she is a newbie (so am I).
I don't want to lock away #3 because she's neurotic (long story lol), but I will definitely keep an eye until I'm confident the chicks know where to run.

 

[Hellomylittleladies]

I would advise you not to intervene. The broody knows more about the other hens and about raising chicks than you (or I) do. They live together 24/7 and work out the flock dynamics; you just drop by occasionally.

I have had multiple broodies raise scores of chicks within the multi-generational, multi-roo flock here, and no chick has ever been seriously harmed by an adult chicken. It is easy to misread a little disciplinary peck as an attack, and simple interest and curiosity as a threat.

Thank you, I am telling myself not to step in, too. But I posted here because I saw her pick one up and fling it, which I read somewhere was violence. I thought the mama hen would snap then for sure, but she only bokked louder to gather her chicks closer to her. Would you recommend I still only observe?

 

[Perris]

Thank you, I am telling myself not to step in, too. But I posted here because I saw her pick one up and fling it, which I read somewhere was violence. I thought the mama hen would snap then for sure, but she only bokked louder to gather her chicks closer to her. Would you recommend I still only observe?

yes. I have seen threads here on BYC where people have reported hens (sometimes the broody herself) attacking and even killing chicks, but I think it's unusual and unnatural. You've kept the broody in sight of the rest of the flock throughout and it sounds like they have plenty of space and places to run and hide, so I'd hold your nerve.

It's also the case that beginners make mistakes - beginner broodies, beginner keepers, and chicks are by definition all beginners. But we all learn by mistakes, and there's no short cut to experience; we have to live it and learn by it. We just hope they're not fatal, and usually they aren't.

 

[DobieLover]

I completely agree with @Perris. The mother knows better what the intentions of the other hen are than you. If she trusts her enough to approach her brood and 'handle' them, let her be.
I have seen 'auntie' hens obsess over a broody hen and her brood here. To the point that when the broody hen gets into a fight with another hen, auntie will go running into the fray and attack the hen giving the broody grief. This happens even before the eggs hatch.
I have seen hens peck chicks. I have seen hens pick them up and drop them. The chicks scream and run back to momma or just run away a bit. It's all a learning experience.

 

[Acre4Me]

Momma was paying attention. Chick got a little education in the world of pecking order. This world puts chicks at the very bottom of pecking order unless you are momma hen. Even momma will start to be “mean” to them or at the very least ignore them beginning around 6 weeks. If chick is fine, I’ll bet you’ll notice chick is more careful or aware now. If it was me, I would be present when together for a little while longer.

 

[Hellomylittleladies]

Thanks again, everyone, for the advice!
Here's an update of them all resting together, all's being going well for the past week and hopefully will end well.
I've observed for a couple more days as the bigger issue was the chicks being separated from mum as they didn't know where to flee. But as you all said, the mumma hen was keeping an eye and everything worked out once the chicks were familiar with their surrounds.
#3 Auntie still trying to get a peck in and #2 Auntie couldn't care less abt the chicks.