Chick was hatched this morning and hen pecked it to death

[deadrise71]

I have three BO hens laying on their first clutch of eggs. They are in the main coop with the rest of the flock of seven other hens and a roo, but they are separated and in private "rooms".

Yesterday morning I heard peeping from the coop and went in to check. Sure enough, there was a newly hatched chick flopping around the hen. The hen was eating the hatched egg. Everything seemed normal until the hen started pecking at the chick. Eventually the chick was pecked to near death. I should have intervened but I thought that maybe this was supposed to happen, even though it looked very abnormal.
Anyway, the chick is gone now and the hen is still sitting on the rest of her eggs. I assume she ate it or buried it.

So for the next chicks, I'm wondering if I should remove them or exactly what I should do?

 

[Nava]

well in my opinion,the chicke was probably sick,and the mama can sense those things,i had a buff orp that did the same thing and people told me that the chick was sick,but then the others were fine she had a total of 13,but i still would keep an eye.

 

[chickpip]

Quote:
I agree.

 

[LaSombra]

Quote:
I agree.

When my blue orp hatched a couple eggs this winter, she went at the chicks in a mean way and I took them away from her to brood them myself. They are perfectly fine, healthy birds. I'd hate to have lost them. I don't know why she did that. Maybe she just wasn't ready to be a mom? She was only 6 months old, her first clutch, and probably too young. She's setting on more eggs now. She went broody a couple weeks ago, again. I'm hoping that this time, she's a good momma. If not, I'll be the mommy again.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

I had a hen do that before - singled out a particular chick. She has been a good mother to all her other ones, so I assume it was sick also. However, if your hen starts pecking another one it could be that she isn't going to be able to raise chicks and you will have to remove them.