Bad mom... or is this normal?

[chickmamato7]

My broody 1 y/o creveceour hatched 1 chick that is now 7 days old. It's been quite an ordeal and way more stressful that I was expecting. She refused to come off the unhatched eggs, even after her chick fell from the nest box (twice) and was cold and loudly chirping from the ground. I removed the unhatched eggs after day 25 and made a safe enclosure on the ground, moving the nest box down with her. She does not allow the baby to eat anything that does not come from her. When I put chick feed down in a small feeder, she immediately runs over to kick it to the ground and scratch at it until the feed is covered with dirt. When I hang a chick waterer where her chick can reach, she kicks dirt into until it's a muddy mess. I have to check on the chick constantly to be sure it has access to food and clean water. Mom doesn't seem to want her eating chick food, but when I put a worm or grub in, she calls the chick over to eat. I also see her showing the chick how to peck at the bedding chips. Why is she doing this? I don't know how this baby is surviving, but it seems alert and healthy so far.

I've considered taking the chick away and adding it to my brooder of 3 Polish chicks, but the chick gets so distressed when mom is not close that I think it might die if I do that now. Should I keep losing sleep over this chick, or should I just take it away & add it to the brooder. I'm tired and so done with this crazy, bad mom behavior.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

It sounds like your broody is just being a chicken. Perhaps put the food in a feeder that she can't easily knock over, or else move them to a dog crate or something with only shavings so you don't have to worry about the dirt. I doubt she's teaching the chick to peck at the shavings, but instead just teaching them how to scrounge about for food.

 

[chickmamato7]

OK. That makes me feel a little better. I did buy a round metal feeder with holes, but she kicks dirt right into the holes & covers the food! I've also tried multiple waterers (mason jars, hanging, bowls with marbles... but she manages to muddy the water no matter what I do. Right now I'm trying a new parakeet waterer that only allows room for a small beak.

My coop floor is sand based, so not much I can do to change that. I can try adding a thick layer of pine chips, but I'm guessing she will just scratch down to the dirt again. I don't want to keep moving her because she gets so stressed out. She seems happy in the enclosure I made for her. I just wish she would let the baby eat what it needs.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Yep as @TheAlrightyGina said, sounds like normal chicken behaviour. I'm always cleaning waterer and food does go everywhere, mother teaches chicks to kick around and scratch so it's pretty normal.
Good you took the unhatched eggs away so she can concentrate on her live chick.

I have had a mother hen kill her chicks one by one and another hen attempt at killing her chicks that I had to take away for safety.. if your mother hen is keeping chick warm and not jumping on it and trying to kill it then you should be ok! A bit of food kicked around and dirt in waterer is nothing to worry about, just clean up and maybe put food/water on a brick higher up, but so chick can still reach. I use plastic liners under food container so any spills stay cleaner.

 

[chickmamato7]

OK, I'll trust her to do her thing. She is a gentle mom, but easily panicked. I'm already doing the brick thing and have tried all sorts of other liners, like raised screens, but she is persistent. I'm wondering if she thinks the food will draw the other hens into her enclosure, since she is lowest on the pecking order and always had to sneak food. She seems to panic when I put food down and quickly covers it up to hide it.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Your broody is actually exhibiting behaviors typical of an excellent mom! Yes it can make the job much harder for you; been there done that many times.

Here are some tips ive learned by experience, that will hopefully make your caretaking job a bit easier.

1) Zip-tie or otherwise secure the chick feeder to something (side of wire cage in my case since broodys and chicks are housed separate from other hens) a little higher than ground level. This way the hen can't as easily reach the feeder to scratch the feed out everwhere. (I have sandy soil too. Dont wanna think about all the wasted chick starter that got scratched into the sand and disappeared.) For the first week or so, you can put shavings under the raised feeder so the chick can reach the food. Since your chick is now a week old, it is easily able to hop/jump/fly on top of the raised feeder to eat. Securing the feeder a little higher than the broodys scratching feet will prevent most of the problems you have had.

2) Waterer. I have sadly had "scratchy" broodies kill small chicks when the broody scratched at the pint-sized waterers and turned the waterer over on a chick. I now use 1 gallon waterers ONLY for mamas and babies. The size and weight as well as the shape makes the 1 gallon size tip-proof. If your idea of a parakeet waterer works then great! Otherwise, yes raise the waterer slightly up on a platform. Another thing ive found that helps is to put a large flat piece of cardboard, no shavings on top, under the waterer. (Dont use a wood board since wood could splinter into the broody's feet). Yes the broody will eventually scratch the shavings on top of the cardboard and near the waterer, but it takes longer. I pick up broken down free boxes at the grocery store, then replace every few days as the box gets scratched up and pooped on.

Since u mentioned the small metal feeder you are using, that is also a potential danger of turning over on the chick due to mama's scratchy feet. For that reason alone its very important to tie the feeder to a support where the hen can't turn it over.

It was perfectly normal for the hen to remain on the eggs even though the chick had fallen down. Early-hatched chicks will start exploring the nest box after 24 hours or so. Its imperative to secure the area so chicks dont get separated from mom and unable to get back to her. Thats another mistake ive made in the past. Luckily no chicks were ever lost, but only because i heard the chicks loudly peeping in distress and got them back under mama before they got too cold.

Its not always easy helping broody hens raise their chicks, but it sure does make them happy. Sounds like your broody is an excellent mom, & you are doing your best to be an excellent caretaker!

 

[chickmamato7]

Yep as @TheAlrightyGina said, sounds like normal chicken behaviour. I'm always cleaning waterer and food does go everywhere, mother teaches chicks to kick around and scratch so it's pretty normal.
Good you took the unhatched eggs away so she can concentrate on her live chick.

I have had a mother hen kill her chicks one by one and another hen attempt at killing her chicks that I had to take away for safety.. if your mother hen is keeping chick warm and not jumping on it and trying to kill it then you should be ok! A bit of food kicked around and dirt in waterer is nothing to worry about, just clean up and maybe put food/water on a brick higher up, but so chick can still reach. I use plastic liners under food container so any spills stay cleaner.

Your broody is actually exhibiting behaviors typical of an excellent mom! Yes it can make the job much harder for you; been there done that many times.

Here are some tips ive learned by experience, that will hopefully make your caretaking job a bit easier.

1) Zip-tie or otherwise secure the chick feeder to something (side of wire cage in my case since broodys and chicks are housed separate from other hens) a little higher than ground level. This way the hen can't as easily reach the feeder to scratch the feed out everwhere. (I have sandy soil too. Dont wanna think about all the wasted chick starter that got scratched into the sand and disappeared.) For the first week or so, you can put shavings under the raised feeder so the chick can reach the food. Since your chick is now a week old, it is easily able to hop/jump/fly on top of the raised feeder to eat. Securing the feeder a little higher than the broodys scratching feet will prevent most of the problems you have had.

2) Waterer. I have sadly had "scratchy" broodies kill small chicks when the broody scratched at the pint-sized waterers and turned the waterer over on a chick. I now use 1 gallon waterers ONLY for mamas and babies. The size and weight as well as the shape makes the 1 gallon size tip-proof. If your idea of a parakeet waterer works then great! Otherwise, yes raise the waterer slightly up on a platform. Another thing ive found that helps is to put a large flat piece of cardboard, no shavings on top, under the waterer. (Dont use a wood board since wood could splinter into the broody's feet). Yes the broody will eventually scratch the shavings on top of the cardboard and near the waterer, but it takes longer. I pick up broken down free boxes at the grocery store, then replace every few days as the box gets scratched up and pooped on.

Since u mentioned the small metal feeder you are using, that is also a potential danger of turning over on the chick due to mama's scratchy feet. For that reason alone its very important to tie the feeder to a support where the hen can't turn it over.

It was perfectly normal for the hen to remain on the eggs even though the chick had fallen down. Early-hatched chicks will start exploring the nest box after 24 hours or so. Its imperative to secure the area so chicks dont get separated from mom and unable to get back to her. Thats another mistake ive made in the past. Luckily no chicks were ever lost, but only because i heard the chicks loudly peeping in distress and got them back under mama before they got too cold.

Its not always easy helping broody hens raise their chicks, but it sure does make them happy. Sounds like your broody is an excellent mom, & you are doing your best to be an excellent caretaker!

Thank you! I will follow your advice and remove the potential dangers. I made some more adjustments and now have a good place for a hanging waterer and feeder, placed over a raised platform with screened top. This chick better be a girl after all this!