Baby Chics Found Pecked to Death!

[Lake2sea]

I was amazed. We have been raising abs incubating chics for over three years now and NEVER had this issue. The momma kicked her baby chics to the curb after a week! Once this happened, we found three out of five pecked to death in the coop all in the same spot between hay bails. Why???
Why did the momma kick them to the curb after a week?
Why did the hen(s) or momma peck them to death?

 

[peeper89]

this so sad

 

[Geena]

I was amazed. We have been raising abs incubating chics for over three years now and NEVER had this issue. The momma kicked her baby chics to the curb after a week! Once this happened, we found three out of five pecked to death in the coop all in the same spot between hay bails. Why???
Why did the momma kick them to the curb after a week?
Why did the hen(s) or momma peck them to death?

Are you certain they were pecked to death? "Between hay bales" sounds like a place rats would stash something.

 

[Lake2sea]

Thank you for replying. It was definitely not rats as our environment definitely does not have rats. Maybe a mouse or two but not rats. Yes. It was weird. The first night without momma two went missing. We thought a snake had gotten them. The second night in the coop only two came out and I put three away- this is when we tore apart the coop to check - this is when we found them. The bails were placed in the coop two weeks prior - thoughts?

 

[Lake2sea]

It’s like the chics went into this place to hide as there were only three square bails- two on bottom and one ONTOP. They were inbetweeb the bottom two

 

[Geena]

Thank you for replying. It was definitely not rats as our environment definitely does not have rats. Maybe a mouse or two but not rats. Yes. It was weird. The first night without momma two went missing. We thought a snake had gotten them. The second night in the coop only two came out and I put three away- this is when we tore apart the coop to check - this is when we found them. The bails were placed in the coop two weeks prior - thoughts?

Never say never, there are rats everywhere on earth and they are especially attracted to chicken coops due to the free food. It's hard to say, is it possible they just got stuck between the bales? Could be the hens killed them as well, it happens. The only way to know for sure what's going on is to put up a camera.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Can't say for sure if the mama (or other hens) were the cause, or if they were taking advantage of a free source of protein after another pest/predator came along, but for sure, if the mama ditched them after only a week, she shouldn't be allowed to hatch or brood chicks in the future.

 

[Lake2sea]

Thank you all for responding. We know it was definitely not rats based on the peck marks found on the baby’s bodies- I appreciate the feedback however we will continue to wait to see if anyone else responds who have had a similar issue. It’s like they were chased in the area of the bails and couldn’t escape from the pecking of a beak- very sad
The momma was a new one… her first go around. Will observe for next time for sure. She leaves them, they will be collected snd contained until we can interstate them with the others when larger-

 

[Chicalina]

It's likely she weaned (abandoned) them early and without her fierce protection they were intruders in the flock and fair game for the other hens to get rid of them.

 

[KahKaDoodleDo22]

This happened to me this year too. First time in 10 years. Very odd, I did have new hens that were trying to brood but still. I ended up taking them to a separate brooder eventually after they hatched.