Broodie killing her hatchlings!

[tellynpeep]

I set some eggs under a new broodie 3 weeks ago. Yesterday I found one of the eggs out of the nest, ice cold. It had pipped but the chick was long dead when I found the egg. This morning I went out to find her eating a new hatchling. Just now I checked her again and she was trying to kill yet another. Three strikes...

Here's my question: I have a hen who decided to go broodie TODAY. What are the chances if I put the remaining (only 3 left) incubated ,and now peeping, eggs under her that she will care for them? Is it too soon in her brooding cycle? I do NOT want to set up the heat lamp etc. I would not have set these eggs if I didn't have a broodie to take them. Oy...

 

[Veer67]

It might work if she's really broody and won't leave the nest and puffs up her feathers at you. I've never been in a situation like this before but I think she would except the eggs.

 

[tellynpeep]

Yeah... she's accepted the eggs, but they should all be hatching in the next day or so. Will the hatching break her broodiness so that she will care for the chicks?

 

[tellynpeep]

They've hatched...2 survivors :-( The new mom is keeping them warm and dry, but apparently still thinks she is sitting on eggs, not chicks (remember, she just went broody 2 days ago..). What should I do? Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[Veer67]

They've hatched...2 survivors :-( The new mom is keeping them warm and dry, but apparently still thinks she is sitting on eggs, not chicks (remember, she just went broody 2 days ago..). What should I do? Any ideas? Thanks!

Usually after the eggs have hatched a broody sits on the eggs for 1 or 2 more days ( to wait for the rest of the chicks to hatch). If you hen hasn't gotten off the nest by then I would put a bowl of food and water with the hen and chicks, and make sure that the chicks don't drown in the water! The hen should start pecking at the food which will bring the attention of the chicks who will start eating as well.