Broody killer? Time sensitive!

[Marmalade25]

Ok, so I may have done something impetuous. I have a super broody hen, we've been taking eggs but shes been trying on and off for like a month. But we took ALL the eggs a week or so and she still wouldn't get up. So I thought I would find her some day olds and just move on with it.
However, this chicken is a mouse killer. I watched her hunt one down in the yard one time. We recently got chicks a couple weeks old and she looked like she was going to kill them when she had the chance.
Soooo..... I stuck the babies under last night. They are still alive today but I dont think she "realizes" they are there. She is so focused on brooding it seems. I thought maybe because she was in the zone she would accept them. When I checked them this morning I lifted her to see and when it got a little away she looked like she was trying to peck it.
I'm wondering if I didn't let her brood long enough even though shes been at it on and off for a while. But also, is she just always gonna be a pecker no matter what? Since she gets like that? Is she just a born chick killer and should I not let her realize they are even there?
I can take them and brood them but I had really hoped to let her do it.
Anyone have a broody that killed her chicks and what were they like before that? Nasty? How do i know? Thanks in advance.

 

[sourland]

If she has been setting for a month, she is ready to accept chicks. Just monitor the situation closely.

 

[50-45-1]

Lots of chickens kill and eat mice, that does not automatically mean that broody will eat her chicks.
Yet flock mates may try, broody will protect them if she is able.
Your hen may not take the chicks immediately off the nest to eat or drink. You may want to offer a small amount of chick crumble closer to the brood just in case for the first couple days until you know she is bringing them out. There are no longer eggs under your broody, right?
Chicks and hen need time to adjust.
This is my hen Jade with her TSC chicks i gave her when her shipped eggs did not hatch.

 

[Marmalade25]

Lots of chickens kill and eat mice, that does not automatically mean that broody will eat her chicks.
Yet flock mates may try, broody will protect them if she is able.
Your hen may not take the chicks immediately off the nest to eat or drink. You may want to offer a small amount of chick crumble closer to the brood just in case for the first couple days until you know she is bringing them out. There are no longer eggs under your broody, right?
Chicks and hen need time to adjust.
This is my hen Jade with her TSC chicks i gave her when her shipped eggs did not hatch.
View attachment 2130246

They are beautiful.
There are a few eggs in the nest again. I didn't take them, but I can do that soon. Do you reccomend that I take them to help her switch to chick mode?

 

[50-45-1]

Absoulety!
If there are still eggs, she will delay leaving the nest in order to hatch them.
In the meantime, your store bought chicks NEED her to bring them off the nest for food and water.
Remove the eggs ASAP.

 

[Marmalade25]

Absoulety!
If there are still eggs, she will delay leaving the nest in order to hatch them.
In the meantime, your store bought chicks NEED her to bring them off the nest for food and water.
Remove the eggs ASAP.

I removed the eggs right away.
I have been watching her with them and she is doing great, falling into good protective behavior. I'm not sure if she is getting up or not so I will try and encourage it once in a while. Her hatch-mother came down and was very interested in what was under her wings to the point where she got in the nest box under broody's wing - it's her "mother" so she didn't peck her one bit. I was nervous about the babies, but mom laid down next to broody to lay. Three "generations" in one nest box. Checked later and they were fine. One egg in nest from mom but grabbed that up. Thank you so much. I love the broody process but panicked with this untried hen after I jumped in.