Is momma hen too aggressive??

[Apags18]

Ok so we have a one year old speckled Sussex who went really broody about two weeks ago which was perfect timing because I was getting 4 chicks this past weekend. I introduced her to the babies when they were a day old. At first she seemed a little overwhelmed but now she has accepted them. She lets all of them stay under her and when they do come out from under her she seems to want them back under her instead of walking around. First question: How long will she just sit in the nest with new babies before she starts walking around with them. She’s had them for two days and she hasn’t gotten up.

Ok now for the more important question. One of the babies is smaller than the others (a runt, perhaps), but eats, drinks, poops look good, and it even runs and jumps around (I do think it spends a little more time under mom than the others). Momma hen pecks at it when it comes near her after having been out eating and drinking, but she doesn’t seem to be trying to kick it out of the nest, but actually to try and get it back under her. She’s been picking it up by the beak, which causes the chick to cry out. I’ve had to grab it from her a couple of the times and put it under her, at which point momma settles back down. Sometimes she doesn’t bother the baby at all. She was showing the chicks (the little one included) how to eat and didn’t try going after the little one at all. I’ve inspected the beak and head and I don’t think I see any injuries. There was a little mark on one side of the beak but not open wounds and no blood. I’ve been watching her closely and I don’t see signs that she’s trying to hurt it or abandon it, but maybe she doesn’t realize she’s being to tough? I have a brooder area I can use and separate the little chick if need be for it’s safety. I’d like to try and keep all the babies together if possible though. We’ve raised chicks before in the brooder but never with a broody mom and this is her first clutch. I’d hate for something to happen to the baby when I could have prevented it by separating it, but I don’t want to separate it either if this is something that will pass. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated!! Thanks!
P.S. the little chick is the black one in the dish with the other buff chick. This was a still from a video and she wasn’t messing with the baby at all. She was just watching them eat.

 

[DobieLover]

I had a hen behave similar to this once. It seemed that all she wanted to do was set and couldn't deal with it when the chicks actually hatched. She just wanted them under her all the time. By the time the chicks started to develop their wing feathers, she would pick them up by their feathers, shake them while they screamed then stuff them back under herself. I put up with this for about 3 days before I removed her from the chicks that she hatched. She was never allowed to set again.

When the chicks were about 3 weeks old, another hen that was setting adopted the three week old chicks with her lone hatch chick.

Some hens are just not good mothers. Your hen does not seem to be a good mother.

I would raise the chicks myself and lock her up in a broody breaker and never let her set again or try to graft chicks to her.

 

[Apags18]

I had a hen behave similar to this once. It seemed that all she wanted to do was set and couldn't deal with it when the chicks actually hatched. She just wanted them under her all the time. By the time the chicks started to develop their wing feathers, she would pick them up by their feathers, shake them while they screamed then stuff them back under herself. I put up with this for about 3 days before I removed her from the chicks that she hatched. She was never allowed to set again.

When the chicks were about 3 weeks old, another hen that was setting adopted the three week old chicks with her lone hatch chick.

Some hens are just not good mothers. Your hen does not seem to be a good mother.

I would raise the chicks myself and lock her up in a broody breaker and never let her set again or try to graft chicks to her.

Thank you! I appreciate your response. Today (the sun is about to rise and I’m getting ready to go check on her) will be the third day with the babies. If I see her continue to pick this one up like she has I will prob remove them. I hate to do it but I have to keep the babies safe. She also hasn’t gotten up which is concerning me as well. I want to see her get up and move around but she isn’t. She’s actually picked up with baby by its little wing before too. She just won’t do it to any of the other chicks. Anyway. Thanks again!