This spring one of my hens became broody. We don't have any roos, but I did obtain 9 supposedly fertile eggs from local chicken lovers. Of the 9 eggs 7 hatched, one was not ever fertile, and the last of the eggs looked underdeveloped (Buffy kept getting off the nest after sitting patiently for a month+). I ended up getting two sets of eggs from two different people about 3 days apart. Three eggs hatched on a Wed-Thursday. Two more on Fri-Saturday. But the two that hatched on Sunday were found on Monday peck to death my the "Mom?" Was she done with the sitting? Is this normal? The last egg in the nest didn't hatch at all, but did have an underdeveloped chick in it. If I should do this again how do I keep Buffy from killing her chicks? All remaining chicks are doing well.
Set all the eggs at one time. Do not let the hatch drag. In my experience the hen usually kills the chicks that hatch first and leave the nest before she is ready to get off. When they try to come back to the nest she treats them like strangers and drives them off or kills them. Chicks need to get food by around 3 days after hatching. The sooner that they start to eat the fewer problems that you have with 5 day starveouts.
Are you certain it was the hen that picked them to death? Even 2-day-old chicks will often show ill-will to smaller nestmates and pick them to death. Just a thought.
Thanks for all the great information! I'm sure it was the hen that pecked the chicks because I saw her "not being very motherly" the day before. The rest of her chicks are doing just fine. These were all fertilized eggs just to let Buffy be a Mom. My daughter has experienced another aspect of her beloved chickens, I learned to set the eggs all at once, and Buffy has learned being a Mom is tough at times!
Last year chicks,buff hens first time setting for 37-39 days. Where hens are laying,broken eggs every 3-4 days, stinks like rotten eggs. Had one chick sunday,fully developed, but it died. 5/22/02, One chick is breaking out but slowly, started at about 3-4 o'clock it is now 9:30 only 1/4 way out,what do I do? Rooster lives with hens is this OK? He is very gentle.
Thanks.
By Rokimoto on Saturday, May 4, 2002 - 12:01 am:
Some people put the chicks back under the hen at night, but if the chicks are valuable to you should raise them yourself.
I don't have any experience with the hen killing the last chicks to hatch. They may have hatched after she left the next and tried to join the family.
By Orpicaunajo on Monday, May 6, 2002 - 04:19 am:
By NSpencer (Spen01) on Monday, May 6, 2002 - 11:45 am:
Thanks again for filling in this Chicken Mom. I have gained an amazing amount of information from this classroom and appreciate all the contributors.
By Karewood on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 12:48 am: