broody hen died

[foxadillo]

We had two broody hens for about 3 weeks. Both were getting out to eat and drink. Today we came home and found one of them dead in the coop. We found blood in a nest box and the divider was moved/ bedding messed up. My husband thought her neck seemed broken and she had obvious peck marks by her throat. The rest of the flock is fine. Checked for mites and worms. So our assumption is that some hen killed her in a fight.

Should we take the other broody hen out of the flock? Do we have this all wrong?

ETA, they range in a large fenced yard (no roof) during the day, but the coop is inside their covered yard. She'd have been a hard predator target compared to the others out in the "open".

 

[Habibs Hens]

We had two broody hens for about 3 weeks. Both were getting out to eat and drink. Today we came home and found one of them dead in the coop. We found blood in a nest box and the divider was moved/ bedding messed up. My husband thought her neck seemed broken and she had obvious peck marks by her throat. The rest of the flock is fine. Checked for mites and worms. So our assumption is that some hen killed her in a fight.

Should we take the other broody hen out of the flock? Do we have this all wrong?

ETA, they range in a large fenced yard (no roof) during the day, but the coop is inside their covered yard. She'd have been a hard predator target compared to the others out in the "open".

could be rat or snake

broodies will defend the nest before them selves

 

[foxadillo]

could be rat or snake

broodies will defend the nest before them selves

Hadn't thought of that. We weren't down any eggs so maybe she scared whatever it was away before she died? So do we need to worry about our other broody hen?