Need Urgent Advice Raising Chicks With a Broody

[Gobekli Pepe]

Hello. I've raised many chicks myself in the past, but thought it would be a good learning experience to let a broody handle it this time around. She managed to hatch 3, then I bought 6 more and snuck them under her in the night. That went well. it's been 3 days since she started mothering the store-boughts, and 6 since the 3 hatchers were born. Other than one of the store-bought chicks looking weak and wobbly everyone was doing well. Til today when I've found 2 of the store-boughts dead, and observed her kicking another chick while scratching. She certainly didnt mean to, she's just foraging and the little bird got in the way. I haven't seen her sitting today either. it's 92 degrees out, but I'm concerned about the chicks getting cold. I'm also concerned she may have incidentally killed those two chicks. Either by not sitting or the scratching. after finding the second chick, I gave her plenty of feed for adult chickens. corn/sunflower seeds/and feeder pellets mixed. they had food in there before, but it was starter crumbles that she was previously happy to share with the chicks. I should mention that they are confined to a mini-coop to keep the other birds from causing trouble/gobbling up all the food. She is a buff orpington and a first time mother. I should also mention that the farm store in town doesnt have the best track record with chick survival, usually a few of them croak within a few days, and I often see birds with problems in their housings. Naturally I never buy chicks from the housings with troubled birds, but I still end up with a few dead regardless. However I've never lost a bird I hatched at home, either under a hen or in my incubator, so I'm confident I'm not the problem, and also therefore unsure if the hen is to blame for the two deaths.

Anyway, I'm wondering if I should pull them from her and raise them myself? Are the things she's doing normal? Am I just stressing too much? Any other advice is greatly appreciated. As much as I'd like to explore giving my broodies more responsibility, at the end of the day I just want what's best for these chickies. My exploration and experimentation can always wait if my buff isnt up to snuff, another bird will be.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

It's normal for a broody to lose a chick or two.

I almost always have some that just fail to thrive and die off within a week. And I had a broody last year that accidentally killed most of her brood when she went after a mouse at night.

 

[Yardmom]

At 92 degrees there is no need for her to keep them warm. At 6 days mom is often off and running with the chicks. Were the store bought the same age as her chicks? Are the chicks getting enough water in the heat? Starter crumbles are fine for mom to eat. It is normal for her to scratch at it to "help" the chicks get it. A hen can accidentally step on or kick chicks. Most of the time they are fine, but occasionally one gets caught wrong. I think the more likely thing ithst happened is connected with the store bought chick that didn't look well.

 

[Gobekli Pepe]

It's normal for a broody to lose a chick or two.

I almost always have some that just fail to thrive and die off within a week. And I had a broody last year that accidentally killed most of her brood when she went after a mouse at night.

That does put me at ease a bit, thanks. I hate to see it, but I know it's a thing that happens. I read somewhere that orpies dont make the best mothers, and they didnt elaborate at all, so I wasn't sure what they meant by that, or if I was even reading it correctly. I doubt that kick hurt the chick, it took it well lol it did give me some concern though.
Sorry to hear about that brood as well.

At 92 degrees there is no need for her to keep them warm. At 6 days mom is often off and running with the chicks. Were the store bought the same age as her chicks? Are the chicks getting enough water in the heat? Starter crumbles are fine for mom to eat. It is normal for her to scratch at it to "help" the chicks get it. A hen can accidentally step on or kick chicks. Most of the time they are fine, but occasionally one gets caught wrong. I think the more likely thing ithst happened is connected with the store bought chick that didn't look well.

Great info, thank you. If it gets colder will she know to keep them warm? I assume so, but I hate to assume. They should all be about the same age though, yeah. Maybe give or take a day, but I made sure they the same size as the 3 I hatched. Good to know about the kicking as well.

A little video of them hanging out yesterday. The one by the drinker that get's jumped on around 13secs is the one that didnt look so good. She either snapped out of it, or she was one of the dead this morning. Probably the latter. You can tell she isnt doing so hot though

 

[JaeG]

Large breed hens can be a bit more clumsy than lighter breeds (they can stand on chicks and squish them) which is probably why you saw the statement about Orpingtons not being great mothers.

Your store bought chicks were possibly newly shipped and stressed from that, and being handled, and being in the stressful environment of the store, so they were probably weaker from the get go. Hopefully your survivors are past that now and will thrive with your hen.

Your hen looks like she's being a great mother. Hen raised chicks are always a lot tougher than brooder raised babies, especially where heat is concerned. They'll complain if they are cold and she'll sit down to snuggle them if they do. But you won't see that happen often, especially in summer.

 

[Chicalina]

She is doing a great job! Just let her do it and your chicks will be fine.

I've seen a hen fling a baby a whole foot away with the scratching. They seem to bounce!

 

[Gobekli Pepe]

Large breed hens can be a bit more clumsy than lighter breeds (they can stand on chicks and squish them) which is probably why you saw the statement about Orpingtons not being great mothers.

Your store bought chicks were possibly newly shipped and stressed from that, and being handled, and being in the stressful environment of the store, so they were probably weaker from the get go. Hopefully your survivors are past that now and will thrive with your hen.

Your hen looks like she's being a great mother. Hen raised chicks are always a lot tougher than brooder raised babies, especially where heat is concerned. They'll complain if they are cold and she'll sit down to snuggle them if they do. But you won't see that happen often, especially in summer.

Phew, I'm glad. Thank you. I tried to find a lot of this info online, but most resources I found about broodies pertained to hatching with little to say about the intricacies of chicken motherhood. There's probably something out there, but I've lurked BYC enough to know I could get help here quickly and opted to make an acc.

She is doing a great job! Just let her do it and your chicks will be fine.

I've seen a hen fling a baby a whole foot away with the scratching. They seem to bounce!

Thanks. Until the speedbump today I've really been enjoying watching them go. Sounds about right on the bouncing too lol The one I saw get kicked just made a little peep then ran back into moms way to see what she was scratching at.


I think you all have sufficiently put my concerns to rest. I really appreciate it. If anyone has more tips or just info to share please feel free, I'll be around.