Broody eating hatching chicks??

[Lauragraceframpo]

hello all, looking for advice as was my first time with my broody hen and I popped a clutch of eggs under her and anxiously waited. We moved her to a broody pen on day 19 and the next day one egg had disappeared and I found a few bits of shell in amongst the straw. I wasn't sure what had happened? On day 22 two eggs began to hatch land a third was wobbling around. I checked in the evening and one chick was half out the shell but dead, the second had poked its beak out but was very quiet and still. We removed the dead chick and checked again in the morning. The second egg was still as it was in the evening with its beak poked out so I presumed dead. I came back an hour later with a friend to inspect the eggs properly and the egg was gone, only a few bits of shell again. We removed the remaining eggs to candle them. Opened up one to find a fully formed chick that had pipped through the membrane but then died. The other eggs had nothing in them. So out of 6 eggs, we had 3 fully formed and beginning to hatch chicks that all died but 2 that were possibly eaten by mama hen??? Does that happen? I've never heard of it before but I am fairly new to chicken keeping (had them about ten months now). Very disappointed that we had no chicks. Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[PD-Riverman]

hello all, looking for advice as was my first time with my broody hen and I popped a clutch of eggs under her and anxiously waited. We moved her to a broody pen on day 19 and the next day one egg had disappeared and I found a few bits of shell in amongst the straw. I wasn't sure what had happened? On day 22 two eggs began to hatch land a third was wobbling around. I checked in the evening and one chick was half out the shell but dead, the second had poked its beak out but was very quiet and still. We removed the dead chick and checked again in the morning. The second egg was still as it was in the evening with its beak poked out so I presumed dead. I came back an hour later with a friend to inspect the eggs properly and the egg was gone, only a few bits of shell again. We removed the remaining eggs to candle them. Opened up one to find a fully formed chick that had pipped through the membrane but then died. The other eggs had nothing in them. So out of 6 eggs, we had 3 fully formed and beginning to hatch chicks that all died but 2 that were possibly eaten by mama hen??? Does that happen? I've never heard of it before but I am fairly new to chicken keeping (had them about ten months now). Very disappointed that we had no chicks. Any advice greatly appreciated.

OK, first------did you know that you tilting/removing/picking up the hen the last 3 days(during the hatch) can and will cause the Humidity to escape----the Humidity needed for the eggs to hatch?? Taking a hen off the eggs or tilting is just like opening or partly opening a incubator which can cause problems.
A hen might and will eat a dead egg/chick to keep it from drawing ants etc.

I do not know what happen to yours BUT----I have hatched so many Broody hens---over 150 in 3 years alone----all hatched and about ever fertile egg under them hatched. I do not touch my broody hens----not even get close enough to them to cause them to puff up which can cause them to stand up and step on just hatched chicks, etc. Good Luck

 

[chickens really]

Sometimes Hens are great at setting but once the Chicks start hatching they kill them..I presume this was her first time being a Mother?...Next time set her up as soon as she is broody in a brooder area and do not interfere ...Only feed and water her and clean up her poop...
Best wishes next time.....

 

[Miss717]

OK, first------did you know that you tilting/removing/picking up the hen the last 3 days(during the hatch) can and will cause the Humidity to escape----the Humidity needed for the eggs to hatch?? Taking a hen off the eggs or tilting is just like opening or partly opening a incubator which can cause problems.

I did not know this either. Good to know.

 

[song of joy]

It's hard to know for sure what went wrong, but it's very risky to move a broody hen that close to the hatch date. When a broody hen is moved, she usually becomes agitated and may be off the nest for several hours. If any eggs pip during this time, they'll lose too much humidity to hatch, and they'll also cool down. (It's not unusual for broody-incubated eggs to pip on day 19 and hatch on day 20.) She may also become stressed enough from the move to attack the hatching chicks. I've moved broody hens before, but usually do so quite early in incubation (within the 1st week). Once you reach day 17, it's wise to give her peace and quiet with no interruptions or interference until after the hatch is complete. I listen for peeps discretely where the hen cannot see me. I don't check for chicks or unhatched eggs until the hen takes the chicks off the nest, which generally happens 24 to 48 hours after the first chicks hatch.

Another possibility is that the hen was a good setter, but not so good at hatching. However, with her being moved so close to the hatch time, I'd be reluctant to pass judgement on her skills. It may be worth giving her another chance.