Pecking?

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

Is the mother hen sposed to peck at the little chick like it poped its head out from under her and she pecked her I was wondering if she did that telling the chick to go back under her or if she is not used to them and are trying to hurt them? Because if she is I have a brooder ready in the house with heat lamp and 2 other chicks

 

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

Anybody got any ideas

Thanks

 

[William27]

I have the exact same problem, my hen's eggs hatched last night and she would peck them if they were in view and made noise. And every time they poke their heads up from under her wing they get pecked.

 

[mstricer]

Yes they do that, it should only be a gentle peck. You will know if it wants to kill it. They usually will not sit on them to warm them and then she will power drive them in the head, it is very sad. I have seen that and hens power driving them in the neck to break it. If your chicks are only a few days she doesn't want them out from under her, especially if she still has unhatched eggs.

 

[William27]

my hen was doing kind of in between the two ways you described, what she was doing was just enough to draw blood. so i kept my hand over the chicks when they poked their heads up from uder her and were in her view and every time they made a noise she would try peck them so i lifted part of her up and put the chicks under her and eventually she got used to them and has now accepted them

6 hatched out of 8