Cannibal Hen killing her babies and eatting them as they hatch!!

[NanaKat]

She had 9 eggs as of the 17th and they were due to start hatching on the 21. I candled them and those were the ones I let her keep.
So far I have removed two half hatched dead babies. This morning there were still 7 eggs and one was pipped.
Just checked. Empty shell and NO baby.

Hen is in a separate cage to brood her clutch so no other hen can get to her eggs.

Another egg is pipped...eggs are very dirty from her egg ongoings.

Should I remove the eggs to my incubator to finish the hatch and not let her raise them?
Should I clean them a little to keep down bacteria?

I have never had a broody hen eat her young before.....this is terrible. Any advice would be most appreciated.

 

[IwannaBEaMERMAID]

If you want chicks, I'd take the eggs and finish incubating, and I would just clean a little. Make sure you have good humidity

sorry about the other eggs,

 

[NanaKat]

Thank you for the quick reply and I'm off to start up the incubator.

Once they are hatched and fluffed should I try to give them to her of not chance it?

Two other hens have successfully raised their clutches.

 

[EweSheep]

No you should not take the chance of putting some chicks with her. When she was eating those eggs and chicks, that was the final blow. She either would be a simple egg layer, nothing more or stock pot.

 

[muddyhorse]

She may have done it because there was something wrong with the baby. I would not clean the eggs before putting them in the bator that might cause dirt to clog the pores. I would not give her the chicks back.

 

[NanaKat]

Thank you both. Incubator is set now and warming up.
I'm going out to get the eggs as soon as I can get the temp up.
Our outdoor temps are in the 90s already so the incubator is in the house.

Poor babies!
Hopefully we can get all six to hatch and survive.
Will keep you posted.


Editing to add:
Eggs are in the incubator...they were nasty smelling from residue...so i did take a clean hot wash cloth to them to clean off the worst at the bigger end of each egg.

Mother in law happened to call and asked her too. She used to keep 1000 hens back in the day...
She said to slip in a layer of clean straw under the hen and then take warm eggs from under one of the laying hens to put in the nest to replace the hatching eggs. When the babies are almost dry slip a baby in and an egg out and keep a very close eye on the hen. If she accepts the baby then slowly replace a chick with an egg untill all babies are back with the mom. She said sometimes a 1st time mom doesn't know the cycle and has to be taught.
If she doesn't accept that first almost dry chick it goes back in the brooder and mom goes in the pot.

 

[IwannaBEaMERMAID]

Quote:
thats what i would do.... but for my the "pot" is craigslist