[violet]

So our mother bantam has been excellent, she has 4 six week old chicks and has been an excellent mother...now, I think she is going over the top protection wise... she is attacking the other hens (they are not near her, she goes up to them) one hen in particular is geting attacked, she is also having a go at the ducks and the rabbits!

The ducks just giggle at her, poo and waddle off, the rabbits look confused!

So what do I do?  The chicks still sleep with her and in the day do there own thing and just keep going to check where she is.....  she doesn't sleep in the cube with the others, she and her brood have taken over the duck house (ducks never showed interest in it anyway).  

Today I have put her in a run on her own as she was making the others life a misery... so she is sulking and trying to look as if she isn't bothered.  the youngsters are running aroundon their own and keep going to have a look at her.

Is this usual behaviour? what can I do about it?

[violet]

Sorry to bring this post back to the top of the list but I am sure somebody must have some advice... the "bully" is now seggregated as each time we put her in the main area with everybody else she just causes havoc! HELP!!!!!

[WR1]

I had a broody and she was agressive and we kept her in the shed for a while ( took her out in the nights after school ) and then my dad said try them outside so we did and she was fine after a little bit of pecking the others and in the end one of the other chickens had adopted one of her chicks .

She will get calmer as the chicks  get older .

We had the 1st egg from her at the begining of this week


Catii

Ps dont know if thats any help someone else and better than me will be along soon

[nnbreeder]

That is perfectly normal behavior for a broody hen. Right now her focus is on those chicks and anything or anyone coming close is a threat to them in her eyes. After the chicks get much older she will mellow back out and get to her usual self.

[poultrygeist]

No idea, but wold giving her and the chicks a segregated run help the others ?

Rob

[Bodger]

She'll start to moult soon at this time of the year and when she does, her self esteem and where she sees herself in the pecking order will diminish. Hang on in there, it wont last forever.

[Aunt Sally]

I have a girl who is moulting heavily.  Looks like a pillow fight everywhere  :evil:

She's very moapy and isn't eating much. She's certainly bottom of the pecking order now :!:

[FCG]

The ducks just giggle at her, poo and waddle off, the rabbits look confused!

  Made me laugh

Sounds like she's the typical chookie mum. From what I've found out when  researching broodys & chicks they can go like that. And worse. Saw a chook chase a terrier on youtube to protect her chicks. It still counts as research!

[Kate and her Ducks]

As long as you acknowledge your sources