1 missing and one squished.

[Kaitie09]

We had two broodies that we put eggs under. One was super mean and you could not get near her without putting a mason jar on her head. The other is super nice, and lets you do anything to her. Two chicks hatched on Sunday, one to the mean broody, and one to the nice. Sunday night the nice broody's chick was missing, no idea what happened to it. She is sitting on 11 eggs. Another chick that was under her hatched tonight, but was squished before it was fully out of the egg. I just went out there and found it, and found one of our ducks in the nest with it, and nice broody was in the next nesting box over. I took all the eggs out and put them in a makeshift brooder is the grow out pen. The nice broody is not with them.

Should I put nice broody in there, or do you think she is the one killing the chicks?

The mean broody is on the floor in the coop with her one chick and is very nasty towards the other birds. She keeps the chick tucked in the corner. It might be because I woke them up, or the fact that that mean broody has food near her, but the roo got down and started pecking mean broody. She puffed up and was trying to chase roo while keeping track of the chick. During the day, no one bothers mean broody.

I only have one area for the grow-out pen, but there may be enough room for both broody moms. Should I put mean broody in the pen, along with nice broody who will still be sitting on eggs, but are due to hatch any day?

Thanks for any help, this is the first time I have used broodies to hatch chicks so I have no idea what I am doing.

 

[Judy]

It is normal for a broody to be protective of her chick, pecking anyone who gets too close. It is also normal for her to keep the chick under her for the first day or two, then she should take her to food and water. The rooster is supposed to keep his hens in line and be protective toward the chicks.

Lots of things could have happened to the squished chick, including a broody killing it, and a broody (or a duck) squishing it by accident. It could have been killed because the mama saw it as defective or sick. I'm not sure what your best course of action is, just throwing out some "supposed to" thoughts. Of course chickens are individuals and vary so much.

The nice broody by being nice was not protecting her chicks in a normal manner. In this case, nice might not be so good. I believe I wouldn't give up yet on her, though, since it's about impossible to know just what happened to the chick. She might protect her chicks from other chickens even though she lets you handle her. My broodies vary in how seriously they attack me when I pick up a chick. Some accept it after they see me give it back a few times, some are much grumpier about it.

Good luck.

 

[Kaitie09]

I just wanted to add that nice broody and mean broody get along fine with each other. They stand of either side of the chick when they are eating and drinking, and mean broody has not puffed up or growled at nice broody. I'm just worried how mean broody will react to newly hatched chicks.