Broody hen killing baby chicks

[Shadrach]

I am not sure what you mean by particular orientation? Yea the temp and humidity needs to be in range for a great hatch.

Maybe this article can explain better than I can.
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1516-635X2016000600001&script=sci_arttext
There are many others on the web if you search with say Google Scholar.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Maybe this article can explain better than I can.
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1516-635X2016000600001&script=sci_arttext
There are many others on the web if you search with say Google Scholar.

To much reading for me this morning---LOL. Sure the eggs need to be properly gathered, stored, good hens, roosters, etc, etc to have great hatches as far as positioned---a certain way under the hen or incubator---that's not important. I have incubated about 11,000 eggs in just 3 seasons and with a very high hatch rate--perfect to almost perfect hatches each time---hatching close 300 in some weeks---most weeks 100 to 200. For my hatches It doesn't matter how they are laying or if they get knocked around during the hatch---they hatch.

 

[Shadrach]

To much reading for me this morning---LOL. Sure the eggs need to be properly gathered, stored, good hens, roosters, etc, etc to have great hatches as far as positioned---a certain way under the hen or incubator---that's not important. I have incubated about 11,000 eggs in just 3 seasons and with a very high hatch rate--perfect to almost perfect hatches each time---hatching close 300 in some weeks---most weeks 100 to 200. For my hatches It doesn't matter how they are laying or if they get knocked around during the hatch---they hatch.

Good for you. Position is important and if you read the above article and the many others on the subject you will understand why.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I appreciate your response. But don't you think your getting to technical? These are chickens and like everyone said. I just have a bad mamma. And I've gotta agree with keeperofmunckins. It is my responsibility to make sure these baby chicks are unharmed. As if it were a litter of puppies or kittens. It's my responsibility to become the mama. And I will do my best to make sure of it.

I agree---Take care of the Babies!

 

[Sue S]

I'm going to get in to trouble for this but............
Walk away. Let her do what she feels she has to. Finish off the job if she doesn't quite kill them all and never let her sit again. Thousands of chicks get killed every day. They die in the post, get thrown into mincing machines at hatcheries, get eaten by predators, killed by human mismanagement.
I'm sorry, I know it's extremely distressing. I've had two baby killers here. If you 'rescue' the chicks that you believe have no obvious damage, then what? The hen will not accept them at some later stage. Next, if she has been attacking the chicks even those that look to be okay may well have injuries that will not become apparent until later.

First I want to say that I'm not trying to be rude but your reply to this post is insane. I think she is doing the right thing by rescuing & taking care of the babies, I have a broody duck sitting on a nest of 6 eggs they are due to hatch next week & yes, I will be watching them closely & I will not interfere unless I need to. I believe that what is ment to be will be, but letting any animal be killed by an aggressive " parent" is just cruel & wrong. Anyone who has & loves & cares for their animals has a duty to protect them from anything or anyone that tries to hurt them.

 

[Shadrach]

First I want to say that I'm not trying to be rude but your reply to this post is insane. I think she is doing the right thing by rescuing & taking care of the babies, I have a broody duck sitting on a nest of 6 eggs they are due to hatch next week & yes, I will be watching them closely & I will not interfere unless I need to. I believe that what is ment to be will be, but letting any animal be killed by an aggressive " parent" is just cruel & wrong. Anyone who has & loves & cares for their animals has a duty to protect them from anything or anyone that tries to hurt them.

That's okay Sue. No offense taken. I did hint in my first post I wasn't expecting many to agree.

 

[2 many chickens]

I appreciate your response. But don't you think your getting to technical? These are chickens and like everyone said. I just have a bad mamma. And I've gotta agree with keeperofmunckins. It is my responsibility to make sure these baby chicks are unharmed. As if it were a litter of puppies or kittens. It's my responsibility to become the mama. And I will do my best to make sure of it.

Good job on removing the babies, anyone in their right state of mind would have done that. To allow a hen to 'do her thing' and kill her chicks while you stand by and do nothing, is disturbing.

 

[Shadrach]

Good job on removing the babies, anyone in their right state of mind would have done that. To allow a hen to 'do her thing' and kill her chicks while you stand by and do nothing, is disturbing.

It would be really cool if you stuck to the topic rather than casting aspersions on my state of mind.
I have tried very hard to give my reasons for taking this course of action. It's fine you not agreeing with me.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I'll try to explain. I know it seems a bit barbaric but it's not due to being irresponsible, or heartless, or neglectful.
If we can put aside any moral or ethical discussion for this and look at the realities of incubation and hatching instead it would be helpful.
In the last three days of incubation the eggs need to be set in a particular orientation in order for the chicks to pip and hatch properly. Studies show that and I've had some experience of this here that eggs that are disturbed and left in the incorrect orientation during these last three days are likely to produce deformities, neurological problems and other health issues.
Chicks in eggs communicate with each other and their mother. Science suggest that one of the reasons they can do this is so the hatch is coordinated between the eggs and mother. The ideal hatch is completed in less than 12 hours. This means the mother spens the minimum amount of time virtually defenseless on the nest and all the chicks, being of approximately the same stage in development have and equal chance.
Apparently some chicks have already hatched and instead of mum sitting there quietly making mothering noises to those that have hatched and those that are still in the egg, she's pecking her newborn chicks to death. The distress calls from the chicks she's killing are being heard by the chicks in the eggs and all the chicks that may have hatched. In effect you have chicks being born into a horror movie and not some warm and comforting environment.
Next, while the mother is killing the chicks she's not concentrating on keeping the unhatched eggs in the correct position and the likelihood is the dying hatched chicks are thrashing about among the unhatched eggs causing them to tip and roll. This means that any further hatchings are not going to hatch in the right position and the consequences of this are mentioned above.
Next, how does one assess the health of a newly hatched chick. It may look alright but say blunt trauma to the head or other parts of the body are not going to be apparent until later in the chicks development. You could easily with the best of intentions care for chicks that are already too damaged to function properly in later life.
The there is the problem of care and integration later. Mother is very unlikely to accept these chicks at any stage.
Finally, it is simplest just to assume that the mother hen is unbalanced or a homicidal maniac. It is quite possible that the mother knows there is something wrong with these chicks.

I disagree totally. I’ve had hens kill and maim chicks as soon as they hatch. Perfectly healthy chicks right out of the shell the hen just destroys them. Whenever I’ve had this issue I’ve taken the chicks and either raised them myself or if lucky enough gave them to another hen that would accept them. I then immediately killed the hen. End of story. I’ve had countless less than year old hens hatch all their eggs and raise their chicks just fine than to play around with birds with mental problems.

 

[2 many chickens]

It would be really cool if you stuck to the topic rather than casting aspersions on my state of mind.
I have tried very hard to give my reasons for taking this course of action. It's fine you not agreeing with me.

I am sticking to the topic.
Your post was odd and out there. I don't think anyone will agree with you. I'm gonna end it at that and not say anymore. Fin. *waves*