Broody Hen trying to bite chick's feet off.

[SarahGfa]

How long has she been incubating / broody before chick hatched?

If it helps, she makes the broody growl when pecking chick's feet. It looks like she is trying to eat the chick's feet.

 

[centrarchid]

Mice can go after chicks feet and eat them.

Hen, based on description, especially the growling while pecking, is not in the proper stage of broody cycle to except chicks. She may even be attacking chicks that are pipped. Just as bad she may still be rolling eggs as if they are in an earlier stage of incubation cycle than they actually are. Rolling too late as in the last three days or so makes it harder for chicks to hatch. During that time the chicks absorb much of the calcium from shell to strengthen bones, thus making shells weaker. Shell breaking early damages blood vessels connected to shell needed for gas exchange causing chicks to bleed out / die before hatching.

I am not familiar with playing fresh eggs under a hen very late in a broody cycle without eggs hatching, but in your situation it appears not productive.

 

[SarahGfa]

Rolling too late as in the last three days or so makes it harder for chicks to hatch. During that time the chicks absorb much of the calcium from shell to strengthen bones, thus making shells weaker. Shell breaking early damages blood vessels connected to shell needed for gas exchange causing chicks to bleed out / die before hatching.

Very interesting, I did not know that. A lot of things may be throwing the hen off (moved to new coop half way through sitting, heat wave, two other broodys nearby).

They seem to be doing better today. I assume that if the chick is walking around eating and drinking, it is fine and there is no need to splint his feet. Does that sound correct?

 

[SarahGfa]

I am not familiar with playing fresh eggs under a hen very late in a broody cycle without eggs hatching, but in your situation it appears not productive.

A lot of my shipped eggs die during lockdown, so I don't blame the broody. The embryos are too weak or the air cell is messed up. My other broody helps chicks out of the shell if they pip and stop.