Broody hen hurting chicks

[CashewVulture]

Today is hatch day for our first broody hen’s eggs. She is a 9 month old Appenzeller Spitzhauben. One of them hatched but as soon as she saw it she started pecking and growling at it. I decided to remove it because she was getting really aggressive. What should I do? We already have a brooder indoors with 5 week old chicks…
Is she just rejecting this one? Or will she also be agressive to the other ones who hatch?

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I would remove every chick from her immediately upon hatching. She may kill them all. Some hens aren't good mothers and will kill their own chicks, so they should always be watched closely for the first 48 hours, especially if they are a first time brooder.

The age difference might be too much for a just hatched chick. I recommend setting it up in it's own brooder and preparing for the rest of the hatch to go with it. Does have any open wound injuries? If so, clean them with a Saline rinse and apply antibiotic ointment to it.

 

[CashewVulture]

I would remove every chick from her immediately upon hatching. She may kill them all. Some hens aren't good mothers and will kill their own chicks, so they should always be watched closely for the first 48 hours, especially if they are a first time brooder.

The age difference might be too much for a just hatched chick. I recommend setting it up in it's own brooder and preparing for the rest of the hatch to go with it. Does have any open wound injuries? If so, clean them with a Saline rinse and apply antibiotic ointment to it.

Ok thanks. I removed the 2nd that hatched because she also growled and pecked it’s head. So disappointing that she doesn’t like them I would’ve loved to see a hen raise chicks. I feel like she saw them as intruders and wanted to kill them to protect her eggs…not knowing the chicks came from the eggs. I finally put the 2 chicks in a different brooder indoors. Luckily, none of them have injuries. The other eggs under her have not even pipped so I don’t know if they’ll hatch. I will keep an eye on them just to be sure.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Ok thanks. I removed the 2nd that hatched because she also growled and pecked it’s head. So disappointing that she doesn’t like them I would’ve loved to see a hen raise chicks. I feel like she saw them as intruders and wanted to kill them to protect her eggs…not knowing the chicks came from the eggs. I finally put the 2 chicks in a different brooder indoors. Luckily, none of them have injuries. The other eggs under her have not even pipped so I don’t know if they’ll hatch. I will keep an eye on them just to be sure.

Sometimes it's just the hen, or the breed. I had a hen who killed some of her chicks before I realized it was her. I threw her out of the coop and she went around acting as though she was never broody. Thankfully that hen never went broody again, but I've heard stories where these hens did go broody again, and they had the same reactions.

 

[CashewVulture]

Sometimes it's just the hen, or the breed. I had a hen who killed some of her chicks before I realized it was her. I threw her out of the coop and she went around acting as though she was never broody. Thankfully that hen never went broody again, but I've heard stories where these hens did go broody again, and they had the same reactions.

Yeah it might just be her. I’ve read that Spitzhaubens are supposed to be excellent mothers even though they’re not considered a broody breed. Maybe it’s because she was young, she’s only been laying for 3 months.
Hopefully she doesn’t go broody ever again!

 

[Lelilamom]

I had a Silkie that killed only roos that she hatched. Sometimes a hen just knows.

 

[CashewVulture]

I had a Silkie that killed only roos that she hatched. Sometimes a hen just knows.

Omg wow that’s funny. Maybe those 2 chicks are roos who knows? We do already have too many roosters…and many of the hens are being mated too much. (We are getting rid of one soon though) maybe she just doesn’t want any more

 

[Carters Chick House]

My broody hen has been doing fine until one of her eggs started to hatch. Lucky I was there to stop her from killing it. I brought it and the other peeping egg into house. I have a heat pad,then towel with heat plate . What are the chances of survival?

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

My broody hen has been doing fine until one of her eggs started to hatch. Lucky I was there to stop her from killing it. I brought it and the other peeping egg into house. I have a heat pad,then towel with heat plate . What are the chances of survival?

How bad are the injuries and where did she peck? If she was pecking into the neck, the chances might be slim. Do you have a picture of any of the visible injuries? How is the chick doing now? On the heat pad, please ensure the chick isn't standing on it as it could burn it's feet. The heat plate might be fine, and maybe some stuffed animals to keep it company.
Has the other egg hatched? What is being done about that egg? Does she have any other eggs under her? Any chicks that hatch under her she will attempt to kill. If you're right there to collect the chicks the moment they hatch, you can allow her to finish hatching them to get them through hatching (if you don't have an incubator backup). After that, toss her in broody jail (if she continues to sit) and don't allow her to sit on eggs again, as she'll most likely do this again.
So sorry about all of this. I hope the chick is doing well.

 

[Carters Chick House]

How bad are the injuries and where did she peck? If she was pecking into the neck, the chances might be slim. Do you have a picture of any of the visible injuries? How is the chick doing now? On the heat pad, please ensure the chick isn't standing on it as it could burn it's feet. The heat plate might be fine, and maybe some stuffed animals to keep it company.
Has the other egg hatched? What is being done about that egg? Does she have any other eggs under her? Any chicks that hatch under her she will attempt to kill. If you're right there to collect the chicks the moment they hatch, you can allow her to finish hatching them to get them through hatching (if you don't have an incubator backup). After that, toss her in broody jail (if she continues to sit) and don't allow her to sit on eggs again, as she'll most likely do this again.
So sorry about all of this. I hope the chick is doing well.

No more chicks under hen. Just these two. No injuries. I got it in time. The 2nd chick is working on getting out. Ive got a towel on top of the heat pad. Its set on low. Right now they are in a box on my kitchen table. Brooder plate set up nicely. I have a nice cage inside the coop that Ill transfer them to later. This is chick number one.