I’ve had a hen that has been broody all summer. Her first clutch of 5 was eaten by a snake. She tried again with 8. One hatched way earlier than any of the other. I think this one was left over from the snake incident some how. I had worked that day and came home to it being out of the coop and pushed against the wire in the run. I picked it up and put it under mom. Next morning it was dead. Then I had one that was pretty far a long disappear.
Today I hear an egg chirping. Late in the evening I checked on everyone and the mama was pecking the chick out. This looked okay at first but then I notice she was being rough and pecking its head and neck while in the shell. I put my hand over the chick and she jumped back onto the roost bar. She stayed up there a while and the chick was trying to hatch. Then she got back in and started pecking it more. I pushed her off and she stayed away for a while. Once the chick was almost all the way out she again tried to peck it. I removed the chick from the nesting box still in the egg. I’m nursing it to health but it will probably die tonight unless I’m lucky. There are 3 eggs under her now that will probably hatch soon. A few went bad and I had to toss them.
I’m afraid she will try to kill again. I don’t have an incubator. What should I do? I have the chick under a heating plate.
Today I hear an egg chirping. Late in the evening I checked on everyone and the mama was pecking the chick out. This looked okay at first but then I notice she was being rough and pecking its head and neck while in the shell. I put my hand over the chick and she jumped back onto the roost bar. She stayed up there a while and the chick was trying to hatch. Then she got back in and started pecking it more. I pushed her off and she stayed away for a while. Once the chick was almost all the way out she again tried to peck it. I removed the chick from the nesting box still in the egg. I’m nursing it to health but it will probably die tonight unless I’m lucky. There are 3 eggs under her now that will probably hatch soon. A few went bad and I had to toss them.
I’m afraid she will try to kill again. I don’t have an incubator. What should I do? I have the chick under a heating plate.
