Chick Mortality!

[Ian Clelland]

This morning I found a newly hatched chick dead in the run, is it possible that one of our hens killed it? We have Chanteclers and two hens hatched 7 chick between them two weeks ago and they are protecting them from all harm including ravens. There were 8 more eggs that another hen that has gone broody is now sitting on. This morning one of those eggs hatched and we did not know. I guess it left the coop looking for food (my partner moved the chick feeder out into the run, I've moved it back into the coop beside the brooding hen) or when it heard the other chicks in the run, don't know for sure. But is it possible that the two hens killed it when it tried to mingle with the older chick, or is it possible that something else was in the run and killed it? Should I isolate the brooding hen so that when the other eggs hatch we do not have this issue again if it was one of the other hens?

 

[CascadiaRiver]

Its possible, I've heard it happen many times

 

[SunHwaKwon]

If it was newly hatched I don't think it was looking for food. More likely it accidentally wandered out, was lost, and became cold and died, unless you see signs of assault.

 

[CascadiaRiver]

x2

 

[Ian Clelland]

There were holes in the body and some of the fluff was missing, this is why I'm things it was attached. We have moved the brooding hen into the coop with our 4 Silkies just to be on the safe side. The Silkies are very passive so I don't think they will bother any chicks and keep a good distance from our Chantecler hen.