3 broodies in the coop, murdered chicks, what to do?!

[azchickies]

Help! I have three hens sitting in the coop. They all started at different times and have been swapping eggs at random so all the eggs are at different hatch stages. Saturday I went out to check things and found a dead chick in the yard. Pecked to death. There was another in the coop with the mamas. Also pecked to death. Got that cleaned up. Came back to check and there was a chick piping. The mom grabbed the egg and it looked like she was attacking it with intent to kill and I ran away screaming cuz I'm super tough.... came back a minute later and the chick was ok and out of the shell just sitting in the middle of the coop. I scooped it up and brought it inside. Her name is Lucky... today I went out to check things and again, found a dead chick just outside the coop. This one looks like it was shook to death.

I locked all the other chickens out of the coop, so now it's just the moms and their eggs. I've never had chickens hatching eggs before so I don't know how this is supposed to go. Anyone with an opinion about the chicken maliciously helping the chick out? I really thought she was killing it... I don't know what to do!! I just don't want any more dead babies!!!!

 

[Pork Pie]

Having multiple broodies can be a headache. Whilst not a cert - a broody hen can attack chicks hatched by other hens - I guess its an issue of competition for food. Personally, I'd put the remaining eggs under one broody hen and remove the other broody hens and break their broodiness. Search "broody buster" in the search box for instructions.

 

[azchickies]

Thanks for the suggestion!

Two of the hens were right next to each other on their nests. The one that looked like she was trying to kill the egg, well (she was one of the two) I took her out of the coop and locked it back up so there's only two hens and they're at opposite ends of the coop from each other.

This morning (we put a baby monitor in the coop to try and help keep an eye/ear on things) there was peeping out there! I went out to find a freshly hatched chick in good condition being cared for by mommy. In the interest of being on the safe side I brought it inside to the brooder.

Thanks again!