Chicken hen killing hatching peachicks

[angidee]

I had 5 eggs under a broody welsummer (so a chicken momma). They began to hatch yesterday when I discovered a cold chick at the other end of the brooder.
Wasn't sure what happened, so I took one of the eggs and out it under another broody chicken who had been a good mom in the past. I left the hatching 3 eggs remaining under the welsummer. Went out to find the welsummer had pecked a hole in the head of another hatched peachick and my other broody had done the same.
I took the 2 remaining wet peachicks away from the welsummer and have them in an incubator now.
What the heck happened? Did they get rejected because they were peachicks? Can chickens normally hatch peachicks? Can one of these broody raise these peachicks once they are dry and moving around?

 

[DAS]

Some chicken hens will kill peachicks. Probably because they sound different. They have a different peep and cry than her normal chicks. I've found it best to remove the eggs before they hatch and put them in an incubator. Some chickens will hatch and raise them with no problems. It all depends on the hen.

 

[angidee]

If I were to have one of these raise them, I am wondering if the broody that has already been a good momma would be the best choice,. Or should I attempt to add them to a momma that hatched 4 turkeys a few days ago. (This momma, also a welsummer, I am worried won't be able to handle 6 total large breed poultry herself, but she does offer the most age appropriate group)

Thanks for ANY help you can offer. These are my first peachicks (or peafowl at all) and so am extremely worried about these chicks and what will be best for them.

 

[angidee]

Darn. I wish I had learned that info before hand. I searched hatching peafowl and all made it sound as though this was the best bet, except to take them at hatch because of diseases. I never saw anything about chickens dejecting them as their chicks.
Thanks so much for mentioning it. Definitely good info to know!

 

[DAS]

If you have a hen with newly hatched turkey chicks, you can try to put them under her. She may accept them. You will have to watch closely at first. She shouldn't have any problem handling all of them. Just keep in mind that peachicks can fly at an early age and you may loose them if they are not penned.

 

[Kev]

I have to use hens to incubate, hatch and raise peachicks due to my strong allergy to bird dander- can't have incubator or brooders in the house.

I've had well over 200 hens of all sorts of breeds and mixes set on and hatch peachicks, can't recall any of them killing peachicks...

the only caution I would suggest is not to place hatching or hatched peachicks under a hen due to their sounding very different. some hens need the time to 'accept' peachick sounds especially if they never hatched any peachicks before.

I would not really want to place peachicks with poults, as poults grow much faster.... it can be done though just not a first choice. The other problem with the hen with poults is she probably already 'knows' who her babies are and won't accept a peachick & the peachick would be much behind developmentally compared to the poults.

Video of peachicks and their chicken mom:

 

[angidee]

That is fantastic you have had such good luck with chickens hatching the peachicks. So strange that neither of mine accepted them!!!!
The first hen was on them long before they started chirping within the egg, so she had plenty of time to get used to their sound. The was, however, in the brooder right next to the hen hatching turkey poults. I wonder if that affected it at all. The turkey poults were hatch a couple days before the peachicks.
I opted to hand raise them rather than risk the remaining two. They are doing very well and are very bouncy!!! They seemed to be incredibly attached to me as their momma the first couple days, very unlike raising chicken chicks by hand! Never had chickies cry for me when I left the room!
So now I am a peachick momma! It will be fun to watch them grow.

If I were to do it over, I probably would let a momma chicken incubate the eggs, but a day or two before hatch take them away. I wouldn't ever risk loosing peachicks in the hopes that she accepts their sound...it was (and still is) sad knowing 3 little peachicks didn't even get a chance.

 

[birdking11]

wow ive never heard of a chicken killing a baby that practicly hatched from one of her own eggs sounds weird next time u should try keeping them in the bator the whole time or let the peacock go broody