Broody hen killing new born chicks.

[jboy8888]

Hi, I'm having a problem with my broody hens killing their newborn chicks. I have been looking on the internet on why the hens are doing this and some reason is that they don't have human instincts or that they are bad parents. But I always find the chicks laying in the middle of the coop. Today, when I was about to pick one of the "abandoned" chick, it had peep and 3 of the broody hens got out of their laying spot and became violent and started to attack the chick and killed it

. Is it best that I remove the chicks when they are freshly born?
This is my first-time rising chicks after I inherent my chickens from my Opa. Are there any pieces of advice on raising chicks?

Side note**Non-broody chickens are not with the broody hens.

Questions:
#1: Why are the broody hens killing?

#2: Doing I remove the newborn chicks right away?

#3: How do I raise then? Ex: Feeding, heat, and etc.

-Joel

 

[Folly's place]

My broody hens are ALWAYS in a big dog crate in the coop, NEVER in company with other broody or non-broody hens. They are hormonal and emotional, and don't need or want the stress of close interactions with others. Baby chicks don't know any better, and it's not unusual for disasters like this to happen. Confining all of them in the same close conditions is a bad plan, IMO. Some broodies may be fine, but I would never plan on it. Each should have her own digs, with her chicks, for at least a week or so, and then be carefully watched to make sure that it's okay to mix with others. It would be more natural for them to have more space, which we need to provide. Mary

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm gonna agree with Mary, some hens have troubles bonding with their chicks, and when there are multiple hens there often is confusion and no one claims and recognises the chicks, I've seen it in chickens and turkeys. Next time pick a broody and break the rest, or separate or plan on pulling chicks as they hatch. Not every hen knows what to do with chicks and hatching is always stressful for me, unless it's one of my experienced hens. You have seen how quickly chicks can be killed, so do what you can to have your hen isolated and free from other broodies.

 

[jboy8888]

I do have crates, but I don't know if I put one hen in each crate that they would reject the eggs? Do you know if broody hens are comfortable to be moved? -Joel

 

[Folly's place]

I set up the big dog crate in the coop during the day; bedding, food, water, etc. At night, with a tiny flashlight, I quietly move the broody and her eggs into the back or the crate on the bedding, lick the door, and creep away. She may scream at me in the morning, but isn't let out, and usually (but not always) will settle into motherhood in the crate. I clean out the big hunks of poo, and freshen up here food and water, during the incubation, and let everyone out when the chicks are about a week old. Mary

 

[chicken-tender]

I just had a broody Partridge Chanticleer hen kill her first chick. This was one of 6 fertile eggs I had given her since I do not have a rooster right now. The eggs were all marked. one of the 6 disappeared on day 10. No shell bits or anything. She sat the eggs until the first one hatched. She had left them at least twice that I know of and allowed the eggs to get cold (not warm to touch) before she returned. As soon as I found the dead chick this AM, I took the rest and put them in my incubator, so far 2 have hatched. She was in the coop with the other hens. They did not bother her as she seems to be high up in the pecking order. She is 3 years old this year. She went brooding twice last year.
My question is does this type of thing pass down to her chicks and will she do it again or to all her chicks? I need to reduce my flock size (chicken math got me) and she just became a prime candidate to leave.

 

[BastyPutt]

If you inherited them, do you have any idea how they were kept before? Were the chickens well cared for?

We helped a family member out did a very very poor job maintaining the flock, and the hens all did this. I concluded it was survival instinct because they weren't being fed.