Why are they mean to my broody?

[goldeneggtees]

HI, I have a broody who I hope will be hatching some b/o eggs for us in the coming month. I have a question, why are the other hens being mean to her when she comes off the nest to poop and maybe eat a little? I took her off her nest of fake eggs to just get a break and all the other hens started bossing her around, chasing her away from food that I specifically wanted to give to her. BRATS! Poor mother hen, being a good chicken and then they all gang up on her. What can I do to ensure that it doesn't happen again?

 

[miss_thenorth]

I don't think you can. If she's been out of the flock for a while, they will need to re-establish pecking order, at least that has been my experience.

 

[lauralou]

She is low on the pecking order. This worries me.

I have a hen who is often broody, but I have never let her hatch eggs. I don't feel that she will be able to protect her babies from the flock in general. She is low on the pecking order. The hens I generally use for hatching are high on the pecking order. Undisputed queens of the flock. Nobody would dare to mess with their chicks. This is pretty important if the broodies and babies are not to be separated from the rest.

Is there any way that you can make a little pen just for her and her babies?

If so, it's probably best not to move her before the eggs hatch. It might break her of her broodiness and cause her to abandon the eggs. But you have a day or so after the eggs hatch, before she brings the babies out into the run. If you can possibly move them after they hatch, it might be a good idea.

Until then, you can feed her special treats in the coop.

Poor thing.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

maybe if you explain to them thats its not nice.......
idk.. maybe you should seclude her with her babies after she finishes her incubation job.
They can be kinda cruel

 

[lauralou]

Oh, I just noticed that she is sitting on fake eggs now. You can definitely move her before her real eggs arrive. If you choose to do that, of course.

My hens always start out by being broody on the most popular nest box, and I move them to broody houses before I give them real eggs to incubate. I lock them in the broody houses for a few days, so they can't go back to their chosen nests. I let them out to do their business, but make sure they go back to the nest I want them sitting on.

That's just for informational purposes, of course. I have way too much experience with broody hens! Sigh...

 

[goldeneggtees]

hmm, she was already low on the pecking order - maybe it was wrong of me to let her try and hatch eggs, she is just really difficult to try and break of being broody. She is the sweetest they come, has been since birth. I will definitely try and separate her and the chicks if they hatch. But they are seriously wrong if they think they will harm her or her chicks. I will coop the others up if that is what it takes when the time comes for them to venture outside. Wow! Nature isn't nice at all sometimes!

 

[Jen4]

Our 1st BO broody is low in the pecking order but she held her own and took care of her hatchlings... I did put her and the babies in a penned in area inside the coop, so the other chickens could see them and get use to them. I have a little area for momma/chickies to free range, while the other chickens are free ranging... they run the coop and chicken run now with all the other chickens, everyone seems fine, they know how to get out of the way of the bossy chickens.... The chickies will be 8 weeks old next Monday.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I have a silkie mutt that I use for hatching, and she's in with barred rocks. she is obviously low in the pecking order, but her place is established, so she has absolutely no problems with hatching or raising her chicks. She broods in a closed large dog crate with her owmn supply of food and water. Once the eggs hatch, the other hens have basically forgoten about her, so I open the door just a crack so she can get out. Once the chicks venture out, no one messed with her or her chicks. She is a very good mother. You just have to be observant and take precasutions as necessary. It can be done, Jen4. good luck!