# Please help asap...hen killing her chicks!!!



## Dazlin (Nov 26, 2007)

I just got home tonite, and checked this cochin hen due to hatch her chicks. I found 1 chick dead under her. I just now went to see if any others are hatching, I was horrified!!! She was pecking and jabbing another chick, still wet. Real nasty jabs too. I took the chick away and gave it to a silkie.
Please tell me what to do. She has more eggs under her that will probably hatch during the night, so I won't be up to see them.
If I take the eggs out she'll never get off the nest, right?
Why on earth is she doing this? What's WRONG with her???
What should I do with this hen when this is all over?
I hope someone can please write me soon..I'm panicking.


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## OJ Rallye (Aug 4, 2005)

We had a hen kill a chick last year. Take them away as soon as they hatch.
If they're piping, you might be able to keep them warm eough to finish hatching without her. Warm wet rags or near to help keep it humid near the piping eggs.

Good luck.


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## brownegg (Jan 5, 2006)

Sounds like it's a first time mom and trying to figure what's going on. They sometimes settle into wonderful moms. It's a call you need to make. I watch like you and decide what's best. New moms figure the whole thing sometimes. Depends on the hen. Good Luck.

brownegg


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## Dazlin (Nov 26, 2007)

I have several mom's with their chicks right now. I just gave the new chick she tried to kill to my silkie mom. She sitting on it, so far accepted it. I could either give her the mean moms eggs, or just wait and see what happens if I leave the eggs with the killer.


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## ladytoysdream (Dec 13, 2008)

Do you have a incubator you could turn on to put the eggs into to finish hatching ?


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## Dazlin (Nov 26, 2007)

Yes, but I'd rather put them under the silkie. You think I should take the eggs away? How will the hen ever get off the nest then?


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## ladytoysdream (Dec 13, 2008)

If it was me, I would have pulled the eggs by now. 
Sounds like they are a bigger priority than the hen.


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## ladytoysdream (Dec 13, 2008)

I keep telling my husband who enjoys our chickens...just to remember that they are just animals. And when they do something stupid, you just have to outsmart them however you have to.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

Personally, I'd have moved the eggs already. You could give the eggs to another momma. Otherwise, I'd take them inside. Do you have an incubator. I'd certainly put all the chicks in your brooder.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Put the eggs under a hen that will finish hatching them. Yes, she will eventually get off the nest. If she doesn't you can always remove her and set her in a cage or small pen in the yard during the day for a couple days until she forgets about setting.


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## brownegg (Jan 5, 2006)

Dazlin, if you decide that you are moving the eggs, then go ahead and do it. Broody mom's eventually give up and leave. If you are thinkin of using her nest because of avaliable space, then a physical pick and move is the only option....sometimes mother nature has it all figured out...if we only had some patience to see if it works out after all. Of course we know more right?
I love good management, if it is necessary.

brownegg


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## ladytoysdream (Dec 13, 2008)

Oh, and don't do like we did , trying to move a broody hen on eggs a short while ago. Pull the eggs out from under the hen first. Then move the hen if you need to. 

Hubby did it in reverse...he lifted the hen, and it was my job to get the eggs. Hard to catch a egg the hen had under her wing, and then it dropped on the floor when he lifted her. Not what we were expecting. We thought we had it planned all out.


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## gold'nchocolate (Jun 24, 2006)

I had a hen due to hatch some chicks the other day and when I checked on her she had one live chick under her and a half dead one in front of her. It had had it's belly pecked skinless :Bawling:. I don't know if she did it or if she let another hen do it but, either way, I took the live chick and all of the eggs still under her, away from her. 

Luckily, I already had a brooder with some day old chicks in it so I put the chick in with them and I also had an empty incubator that I quickly turned on to use as a hatcher. All of those chicks are now hatched and being brooded in the house. My other buff orp hatched her eggs and didn't purposely kill any chicks but she did sit on a couple of newly hatched chicks and flattened them like pancakes.


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## Dazlin (Nov 26, 2007)

So far the other eggs have not hatched yet. They are due today. I'm keeping a watch.
I'm on pins and needles though...I don't even know if I can wait it out. I'm afraid I might be too late, and she'll kill them. 
If I wait, as soon as they hatch, I'll give them to the silkie who has successfully adopted the beat up one last night. It was so nice to see the chick run out from under her this morning, all dry and fluffy. She looks in great health.
Worse comes to worse, Yes, I'll put them in the incubator...Thanks everyone!!!
OK. I'll put the mean hen in a cage till she gets over this too.
Thanks so much!!!


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## Linkovich (Apr 17, 2009)

I'd stick the eggs in an incubator, or under someone else, and then make chicken soup!


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## Dazlin (Nov 26, 2007)

Just wanted to let everyone know, this ordeal is over. I gave the surviving chicks to my silkie, and the last 2 eggs did not develope. I'll pull the mean chicken out tonite and try to break her broodiness. I'll leave her on a roost. If she goes back to the nest box, I'll take her out of the coop all together.
Thanks everyone for all your caring advice...I never experienced anything like this before.


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## CarolynRenee (Jan 30, 2008)

Dazlin
I can understand how frustrating it can be. We had a killer chicken momma last year & she was sitting on ten eggs. Killed two of them shortly after they hatched so I took the remaining eggs & put them in a homemade incubator until they hatched. Unfortunately we didn't have any other broody hens so I had to play mother hen, which I don't really care for. I eventually gave the chicks away because I didn't have time for them.

Right now I have another broody hen sitting on seven eggs (she had 10, but cracked or ate three) for a week & a half. I hope she does better. Unless we're wanting special chickens, I much prefer having the mother chicken take care of the chicks instead of me.


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## KOHL HAWKE (May 8, 2010)

I would take the remaining eggs and let the silkie finish. 
I love my silkie mom she always does a great job. If you realy like the other hen then I would keep her let her brood dated eggs and move them to another broodie hen or take inside just before hatch time, otherwise chicken soup does sound good.


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## Dazlin (Nov 26, 2007)

Yes, I like the killer hen. I'm going to keep her, but probably never let let her be broody again. I kept her out, and she's over it now.
The silkie is doing a great job with the chicks...they're all luvey dovey.
I have one more cochin on a nest of 3 eggs. They are due this Saturday. Yesterday she got off to eat, and someone must have jumped in and smashed an egg. I know it wasn't her because I was there when she got off, and the eggs were fine. It had a chick still alive and all formed. This has been a NOT so nice experience for me.


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

I admire your restraint. I'd have throttled her where she sat.


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