What to do with a Bad Mother

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I agree. My silkies are great broodies and mamas. However, I did have one buff silkie that was done mothering after a week. She was a determined sitter, and was fine for a few days. THEN, she was done! She went around pecking each baby on the head. We removed her, and she resumed laying within a week. She was my only experience like that. The others have been great ....

 

[PineappleMama]

Quote:
Hence eldest children often being called the guinea pig.

But I agree... I've seen this with people and dogs, why not chickens? Don't have a CLUE what to do once they arrive, but they figure it out. Shoulda seen how Mom's doxies tried figuring out mating the first time around... now THAT was interesting.

Hey... is it disturbing to anyone else that my first thought on seeing the topic title (before seeing forum/text) was...

I think maybe the holidays are starting to get to me.

Good luck SC... hopefully she was just a little shell shocked (oh bad pun) and now has her bearings... but... suppose you could just start with ONE chick... and if okay then sneak in another 1-2... ??

 

[walbarbsa]

I've had the opposite experience with my silkies. My silkies are both great brooders and great mothers -- they even took over the Ideal chicks that arrived after t-giving. She had hatched her one little one and I wondered if she'd take on 20 more. I introduced them two/three at a time and then put the whole kit and kaboodle in with her and she just took them all under her wings LITERALLY.

They are fierce mothers when I put them back into the general population. I swear they puff up to twice their size and charge the hens and the roosters that come too near her brood.