Chicks hatching!

[Mushroomchef]

My first sex link hatched exactly 21 days. One of the leghorn was the first who started, but stopped. My cuckoo maran (Zebra) started pecking at and tossing the sex link chick, so I had to remove it and give it to my game fowl (HeiHei). She took it in and is being such a good mom. So I decided to take the other sex link egg from Zebra and give it to HeiHei also. I don't think Zebra is going to be a good mom. So I put a plastic Easter egg for her to sit on because she was looking for her other egg. She went to HeiHei and tried to figure out what happened, but HeiHei kept her at bay. Zebra is happy with her plastic egg. Now I have to figure out how to stop Zebra from being broody since she's not a good mom. HeiHei is happily sitting on 3 eggs, a chick and a partially hatching chick. She looks like she's going to be a good mommy. . Should I worry about Zebra trying to peck at the chicks? I blocked off the nest area and left enough room for only HeiHei and the chicks to get through. Zebra is too big to fit through.

 

[Pork Pie]

I would observe Zebra and be prepared to intervene if she tries to peck the chicks.

in response to your other question, check this link Breaking a broody hen

 

[Mushroomchef]

I would observe Zebra and be prepared to intervene if she tries to peck the chicks.

in response to your other question, check this link Breaking a broody hen

Thanks Pork Pie. I've read many different ways, but this is the first I've read about using this method. I will try it.

 

[Mushroomchef]

Thanks Pork Pie. I've read many different ways, but this is the first I've read about using this method. I will try it.

I went out check on them 15 minutes after I already checked on them. And also to get zebra out to put her in a rabbit cage to break her broodiness. I found the first chick that hatched, the one Zebra hatched and pecked on the first time, dead. She pecked it on the head and tore it apart. The second chick was laying there barely moving and heihei was there trying to get them away, but zebra was so big, she but couldn't get through. So now Zebra is in solitary confinement. The second chick is alive, but hurt. I'll need to monitor her. My Deleware hen, doesn't seem to care too much about the chicks. She ignores them and stays out of the coop and stays in the run all day, but I will have to keep an eye on her. I don't want to confine her in another rabbit cage also.

 

[Mushroomchef]

I went out check on them 15 minutes after I already checked on them. And also to get zebra out to put her in a rabbit cage to break her broodiness. I found the first chick that hatched, the one Zebra hatched and pecked on the first time, dead. She pecked it on the head and tore it apart. The second chick was laying there barely moving and heihei was there trying to get them away, but zebra was so big, she but couldn't get through. So now Zebra is in solitary confinement. The second chick is alive, but hurt. I'll need to monitor her. My Deleware hen, doesn't seem to care too much about the chicks. She ignores them and stays out of the coop and stays in the run all day, but I will have to keep an eye on her. I don't want to confine her in another rabbit cage also.

OK, after some more reading and researching, I've decided to move momma HeiHei, her sole surviving chick (injured by Zebra) and 3 unhatched eggs to the rabbit cage. She seems happy there and now I don't have to worry about the Zebra or White Feather attacking them. I held the chick in front of White Feather, Deleware hen, and she looked at it and just walked away. Maybe because she wasn't broody she didn't care so much about the chick.

I've also blocked up the entrance of the coop so that Zebra can no longer go in there and sit all day.