hen tossing chicks

[Anonymous]

My broody hen has hatched 2 chicks and seemed to be doing well for the first few days. Yesterday I found one chick with scratches on its sides and its newly growing wing feathers ripped out of 1 wing. After some first aid it has setteld down and seems to be recovering. I popped the chicks back with the hen overnight and they all seemed fine this morning when I checked in. When I brought clean water back 5 minutes later the hen was flinging both chicks around by their wings. She is a Old English Game and they are a Dutch and a D'Avner (so really quite small next to her long legs. Yesterday she stood on then a fair bit and didn't want to sit down and let them get warm. Should I just give up on her rearing them and keep them inside? Or is this normal and I'm just being a wimp?

 

[Davidd]

Hi, i would take them away if she is making them bleed or hurting them- is it her first brood?
She may well kill them if she's had enough already- some birds take one or two hatches to settle down and get the hang of it- some (very rarely) never manage it and will kill the chicks.
regards, David

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks- I have taken them away, they seem happy inside and she is back with the flock after a few hours of looking for them. My next questions would have been about using her again if she goes broody again, but you have answered that - I will try her and see if she manages better next time - I will also try slightly larger breeds, the littlest one really seemed to bug her.