Chicks "Attacking" Mother Hen

[calychicken]

A few nights ago, we put a perch in our hen Baby Chick and her 3 6-week-old babies sleeping room. For the first few nights, mom and 2 of the babies slept on the perch and one of them slept on the ground (Which had shavings on it). Tonight, when Baby Chick perched, the babies started jumping at her and pecking her in the face and pushing her on off the perch! One of the chicks, a cochin cockerel, was trying to mate with her, but he does that regularly. Baby Chick, like the sweet hen she is, took it, even though they appeared to draw blood. We took the perches out, and mama hen started freaking out, as she wanted to perch. Eventually, she sat down and let her babies go under her. They are all fully feathered out, and she was overheating. All our chickens sleep in our garage, so we opened the door and window for it to cool off.

Was it wrong of us to put a perch in this early? We put it in because two of the chicks were trying to perch. Is there anything we can do to stop the chicks from beating up Baby Chick?

 

[aart]

All our chickens sleep in our garage

How many and why...do you not have a coop and run?

 

[calychicken]

How many and why...do you not have a coop and run?

we only have 3 adults and the babies. we keep them in their since they are pets, so we want them to be safe from predators. We have two coops/runs for them.

 

[calychicken]

Anyone? Any ideas?

 

[aart]

we only have 3 adults and the babies. we keep them in their since they are pets, so we want them to be safe from predators. We have two coops/runs for them.

The coops and runs are not predator safe...so you keep them in the garage at night? Where do they spend the day?

 

[calychicken]

The coops and runs are not predator safe...so you keep them in the garage at night? Where do they spend the day?

They are going in the coops and runs during the day but are mostly just roaming around the yard in the daylight.