Dealing With Mean Mother Hen?

[ObiHenKanobi]

One of our hens went broody and managed to hatch two chicks, which are adorable. She is a good mama to the chicks, but has become very aggressive and mean to the point where it takes two adults to clean the area where she is with her chicks, give them food etc. As soon as we come near she puffs up and starts making a racket, then if we even reach an arm in to give them food she will full on attack. Is this normal behavior? What can we do to make her stop attacking us?

I have tried a suggestion in another forum to gently but firmly place my hand on her back to make her accept humans as the "roo," but she turns her head around and pecks so hard if you aren't wearing gloves she will break skin. The chicks become terrified every time she acts like this.

We are at the point where we are wondering if - between the racket she makes and the aggressive behavior - it would be better to re-home her and just raise the chicks ourselves. We are only allowed to have a few backyard chickens, which we keep for eggs and also as pets for the kids. Will this hen teach the babies to be mean?

First time chicken owner feeling a bit lost here. Advice please!

 

[Mylied]

This is totally normal behavior. She's protecting her chicks. I stay out of my broodys space. Is there somewhere else you can put their food and water without getting in her nesting area? I imagine it is stressful for her as a new mother to be disturbed so much. She will calm down as the chicks grow. Hen raised chicks can be less people friendly than human raised chick but if you spend time with them and offer them feed and appropriate treats, they will learn to love you. My advice is avoid the broodys space, leave the chicks alone for the first couple weeks, and then worm your way into their little chicky hearts.

 

[BrandoMan]

I take all the chicks from my hens when they hatch and brood them myself till they are old enough to go into coop. Mothers usually stop being broody in a few days to a week and go back to normal and start laying again after that.

 

[ObiHenKanobi]

This is totally normal behavior. She's protecting her chicks. I stay out of my broodys space. Is there somewhere else you can put their food and water without getting in her nesting area? I imagine it is stressful for her as a new mother to be disturbed so much. She will calm down as the chicks grow. Hen raised chicks can be less people friendly than human raised chick but if you spend time with them and offer them feed and appropriate treats, they will learn to love you. My advice is avoid the broodys space, leave the chicks alone for the first couple weeks, and then worm your way into their little chicky hearts.

She has her own separate pen as well as a medium sized dog kennel (enclosed except for the gate) where she has her nest and bedding. We close that at night after she goes in on her own and bring it into a shed to protect her from predators. The pen itself is pretty big - about 10ft across for just her and two chicks. I'm not sure how much more room we can give her! The only other space she could go is in the run with the other hens, but I'm not sure if the chicks would survive with the flock at only a week old.

But, if our goal is super friendly chickens the kids can handle, it sounds like it would be best to put the chicks in a brooder?

 

[Mylied]

She has her own separate pen as well as a medium sized dog kennel (enclosed except for the gate) where she has her nest and bedding. We close that at night after she goes in on her own and bring it into a shed to protect her from predators. The pen itself is pretty big - about 10ft across for just her and two chicks. I'm not sure how much more room we can give her! The only other space she could go is in the run with the other hens, but I'm not sure if the chicks would survive with the flock at only a week old.

But, if our goal is super friendly chickens the kids can handle, it sounds like it would be best to put the chicks in a brooder?

Oh. I was picturing you reaching into a small area near her nest to fill food and water. It's unusual for her to go after you anywhere in her pen. I have had lots of broodies, one with chicks a week old, and she only gets mad if I'm right up in her nest space or messing with the chicks. I let my girls stay with the flock and she keeps the chicks safe. Everyone has different opinions and experiences with that.

Yes, hand raised chicks are the friendliest. I am a big softie though and don't like to take chicks away. There are lots of breeds that don't tend to go broody. You could consider some of those to avoid the problem in the future.

 

[DobieLover]

I take all the chicks from my hens when they hatch and brood them myself till they are old enough to go into coop. Mothers usually stop being broody in a few days to a week and go back to normal and start laying again after that.

You're kidding? You let a hen set eggs for 3 weeks in a trance with her body deteriorating the entire time because she so desperately wants to be a mother and when the chicks hatch you take them away from her?
It's normal and encouraged behavior for the broody to act this way. That is what keeps her chicks safe until they are ready to be on their own.

@GalVT , let her and her chicks out!! She will protect them and you will no longer be attacked. The other hens may show a passing curiosity for the new comers but mom will drive anyone off that gets too close to her chicks. She will bed them down on the coop floor each night. My broodies usually take their chicks up to the roosts between 2 to 3 weeks of age.
You will need to have the entire flock on something like Flock Raiser so the chicks aren't eating layer mix. Just put out a couple of containers of oyster shell for your layers and everyone will be fine.