Chickens killing the baby chicks

[willr1976]

i went out one day the first time i noticed it , a hen had a chick running around with it and it was badly hurt, but it wasnt like within an hour all those from the first brood were gone, i removed that hen hoping to solve the problem but it didnt, i dont think i have a problem with critters eating the chicks, as if it were a snake or something i would have found it, and nothing else can get in, i keep it pretty clean around and ive witnessed a near death attack so im pretty convinced its the other hens

 

[willr1976]

Yea the video camera sounds a bit much, thanks for the advice though

 

[willr1976]

Thanks everyone but i finally found the culprit,, one female muscovy duck caught her eating one, sorry to say she is no longer part of my flock, havent had a loss since....

 

[rancher hicks]

Well I'm glad you found that out. I have a hen with three in the coop with her own nest box and no problems. I do have wounded chick that I think got jumped on as the others got down from the roost as none of the other chicks is hurt.

Wishing you the best
Rancher

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Quote:
So true... I have done all of the above and had success... and I have done all of the above and lost babies... luckily lots more successes than not. It's a crap shoot.

So glad you found the murderer! Those Muscovies can be bad!

 

[willr1976]

yea thanks all who helped me try to find the problem... Ill just stick to my pretty white pekins and no more muscovy.... ever....lol
thanks all

 

[dima guy]

I have exactly same case, one hen chase and pick to death other hen's chicks, i did not believe it until i saw it by my eyes, her chicks are three weeks old now, but she pick little chick like new hatched, till now she is the only one one who is doing that so i isolate her with her babies in a small coop, do you think she will teach her chicks to attack others? do i have to take her chicks away? any advice please

 

[cindip]

i have two baby chicks that hatched and are doing great in with the flock. then i went out to the coop a couple hours ago and found another baby on the coop floor but it's poor little back had been pecked almost to raw meat! it's still alive, but i wonder if it will survive? my nesting boxes are up high and i wonder if it fell out and the "non" mamas decided to do away with it : / i still have 2 more broody hens and they're sitting on a mess of eggs! guess i'm going to have to check at least hourly so this doesn't happen again.

so.....any comments? am i going to be able to save it?

 

[BIggoMamma]

You never know. I have had hens adopt other hens chicks, strange or orphaned chicks, but you never know. I have had previous experience with bantams in particular being aggressive toward other hens chicks in the past. Keep them separated. I had one extra motherly hen adopt a bunch of other chicks very lovingly, but when there was one who looked strikingly different than the others, she did just as you describe.

 

[BIggoMamma]

I have saved chickens with flesh wounds by applying bactroban cream and cream with lidocaine for pain in it then painting over it with New Skin paint on bandaids. They healed quickly.