Mother hen attacking chicks

[Emrosenagel]

Hello!

I have a mother hen (Cochin bantam, first time mom) who hatched 3 chicks (they are 4 weeks old now). They were separated from the flock for the first week and then gradually introduced back with little field trips, except they slept separately. Yesterday was the first day I had mama back in the coop and the chicks in the brooder by themselves. When I put the chicks out this morning in the run, I noticed whenever the chicks got too close to their mom, she attacked them! Is this normal? Is she just letting them know she’s done being a mom? It isn’t like they were separated for more than the night. It just gets a little too chilly at night for them outside. I just don’t want them to get hurt

Ps. The mother started laying eggs again about five days ago, if that is important.

Thanks!

 

[Yardmom]

Yes, the egg laying is a sign that she is coming to the end of mothering her current chicks. The age a hen weens her chicks varies, but 4 weeks is a common age for it to happen. I would say her behavior is normal. I'm not sure how much the separation affected her treatment of them.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Is this normal?

Yes, but also due to your choice of technique.. they may not be fully integrated with the flock as they should be by now.

She may have continued brooding them (despite already returning to lay), even teaching them to roost.. but with human interference and separation before that possibility she now thinks they don't need her anymore..

They should not be "outside". They should still have a little huddle box, huddle corner, etc.. with plenty of bedding and inside a shelter.. How cold is it? With only 3 in the group.. isn't a whole lot of huddle warmth.. but still with the extra body size @4 weeks old, *may* be enough.

Too much worry about safety is essentially what has led to this point. I don't know your flock dynamics or set up and maybe all that was required.. or maybe this is just a good learning portion of the adventure about how to let chickens be chickens and/or finding out what works best or doesn't for YOU.

Sounds like she overall did well. No two experiences will ever be the same. Congrats on your first successful broody family!

If she did protect them from flock mates previously.. I'd still get them back together in the same regular coop (not the brooder) as soon as possible.. they will already know how to avoid the other adults and quickly learn that she is NOW above them and they cannot ride her back, pull her waddles, etc. They will quickly avoid being pecked and she has no reason to chase them into a corner and proceed with extinction.. if that makes sense.

 

[Emrosenagel]

Yes, but also due to your choice of technique.. they may not be fully integrated with the flock as they should be by now.

She may have continued brooding them (despite already returning to lay), even teaching them to roost.. but with human interference and separation before that possibility she now thinks they don't need her anymore..

They should not be "outside". They should still have a little huddle box, huddle corner, etc.. with plenty of bedding and inside a shelter.. How cold is it? With only 3 in the group.. isn't a whole lot of huddle warmth.. but still with the extra body size @4 weeks old, *may* be enough.

Too much worry about safety is essentially what has led to this point. I don't know your flock dynamics or set up and maybe all that was required.. or maybe this is just a good learning portion of the adventure about how to let chickens be chickens and/or finding out what works best or doesn't for YOU.

Sounds like she overall did well. No two experiences will ever be the same. Congrats on your first successful broody family!

If she did protect them from flock mates previously.. I'd still get them back together in the same regular coop (not the brooder) as soon as possible.. they will already know how to avoid the other adults and quickly learn that she is NOW above them and they cannot ride her back, pull her waddles, etc. They will quickly avoid being pecked and she has no reason to chase them into a corner and proceed with extinction.. if that makes sense.

Thanks for the info! It is my first time letting a hen raise chicks, so I expected I would do something wrong. I can’t get electricity out to my coop, so I can’t provide them with any extra heat. But I live in Florida, so my low temps are around 60 to 50 at the moment. I’m just worried about my one little serama who shivers.
They learned very quickly to avoid the other chickens, and then they quit chasing them. Now they’re running from their mom now too, so I guess they’ll be alright. Eventually they’ll be big enough to defend themselves.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

I’ve had hens wean at 4 weeks but those are generally not my best mothers and if I have the option I don’t keep them. Weaning at that age usually is more violent since the chicks still really want mama’s warmth. If weaning starts when they are older it’s a much calmer process since they want to do their own thing anyway.

I would not let this mama hatch chicks again. From the records of my own flock, the weaning time is very regular from brood to brood and 4 weeks is bit too short.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

Regular time is 6 weeks, 4 weeks is way too early, the babies still need to be kept warm I wouldn’t let her hatch chickens again either … some of my hens looked after their little ones up to 3 months ( that isn’t usual either )

 

[Shadrach]

In general it's not a good idea to seperate mum and chicks at any point. Hens have been hatching and raising chicks for centuries without our (human) help.
On a more positive note, some of my best broody hens stopped mothering at 4 to 5 weeks. Much depends on the rest of the flocks reaction to having new members.
In a free ranging keeping arrangement the quicker the mum stops mothering the more likely it is she will survive. While she is still protecting the chicks in the event of a predator attack it is she who is likely to be the casualty. In general a proven broody mum is of more worth than the chicks particularly considering some of the chicks are likely to be male and for many keepers, present problems once they mature. If the hen has gone broody once it is likely she will again and chicks lost will be replaced by chicks from the next hatch.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hens have been hatching and raising chicks for centuries without our (human) help.
On a more positive note, some of my best broody hens stopped mothering at 4 to 5 weeks.

Agreed.. I've also had hens boot chicks at 4 weeks.. and much also depends on other environmental factors like the weather pattern and how much time the chicks are spending warming up, in addition to flock dynamics. The mother hens have plenty of instinct built in and haven't read or don't care what our books say their "norm" is or should be.

I certainly would give a hen that was that successful with that much intrusion another chance! (if it were convenient for me and I had the space, plan for extra cockerels, etc, etc)

It is my first time letting a hen raise chicks, so I expected I would do something wrong.

It's not my personal feeling or belief that you did anything "wrong". You know, aside from having not posted any pics of their family time yet!

 

[Mrs. K]

In Florida - they will be fine. I live in SD, and mine are in the coop, without heat at 4 weeks with night time temperatures in the 30's.

4 weeks is about average I would think, although old mother Feathers really never left hers for quite some time- 2 months. But she was the oddity.

Mrs K

 

[gimmie birdies]

I had a momma hen quit after 2 weeks as a mother, but 2 old hens who were never mothers took over the duty.