Broody Hen Killed Chicks

[MollyPollyO]

I have a broody hen (first time) who incubated five eggs. We marked them and removed any other eggs she took that the other hens laid that she added to her pile.

She killed the first two chicks that hatched, so we took the other three and put them in the incubator. They are all doing well, but then hen is still sitting in the nest box without any eggs under her.

We took the chicks out to her to see her reaction. She was slightly interested, but not in a way that would make me trust her with them (as much as I would love for her to raise them).

Any thoughts on how to move forward with this girl?

 

[DobieLover]

Any thoughts on how to move forward with this girl?

Break her.
Set her up in an elevated wire dog crate with a piece of wood to perch on and food and water. Leave her in there for at least 3 days and nights. She might need longer to fully break.
Currently unoccupied broody breaker.

 

[Shadrach]

I have a broody hen (first time) who incubated five eggs. We marked them and removed any other eggs she took that the other hens laid that she added to her pile.

She killed the first two chicks that hatched, so we took the other three and put them in the incubator. They are all doing well, but then hen is still sitting in the nest box without any eggs under her.

We took the chicks out to her to see her reaction. She was slightly interested, but not in a way that would make me trust her with them (as much as I would love for her to raise them).

Any thoughts on how to move forward with this girl?

Don't let her sit and hatch again. Apart from this I would let her be.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Is it with other birds? The others prolly are killing them

 

[DobieLover]

The others prolly are killing them

Why would you think this? In all the times I've had chicks hatch here I have yet to see any aggression from other flock members towards the chicks.
Some hens are just bad mothers.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Why would you think this? In all the times I've had chicks hatch here I have yet to see any aggression from other flock members towards the chicks.
Some hens are just bad mothers.

Ive never had a broody take the time to hatch to just kill them its always the others if they are with them.

 

[Shadrach]

Ive never had a broody take the time to hatch to just kill them its always the others if they are with them.

I have, twice.

 

[theoldchick]

I had a hen eat her chicks. I caught her with a chick in her beak. She was immediately placed in the rooster pen and never allowed to sit on eggs again.

 

[rayrose]

Don't give her a perch to sit on. Broody jail is supposed to be
uncomfortable. She'll break faster that way.

 

[DobieLover]

Broody jail is supposed to be
uncomfortable.

It's supposed to cool them off and keep them from bedding down, not hurt their feet to stand on thin wires for days. The wood perch does not slow down the breaking process.