Chicks killed hatching chick?!

[Hatchinmama]

I’m wondering if anyone else has ever seen this happen….? I’m currently hatching 30 chicks. About 20 of them hatched within the last 30 hours or so. One egg started hatching and all the other chicks started pecking and eating the membrane of the hatching chick. They have demolished the egg and I’m pretty sure they have killed it. I know not to open the incubator while I have pipped eggs however I have a group of murderous chicks in there! Any advice for me, this is so sad?!

 

[The Birb King]

I have never had that happen before. They probably saw the blood vessels on the membrane and were attracted to it. Any chicks that are fully dried off should be put in the brooder while the others hatch.

 

[Kung_pao]

Can you try blocking light from coming into the incubator? Chicks don’t need light to hatch and can’t peck at what they can’t see. Just a thought.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I’m wondering if anyone else has ever seen this happen….? I’m currently hatching 30 chicks. About 20 of them hatched within the last 30 hours or so. One egg started hatching and all the other chicks started pecking and eating the membrane of the hatching chick. They have demolished the egg and I’m pretty sure they have killed it. I know not to open the incubator while I have pipped eggs however I have a group of murderous chicks in there! Any advice for me, this is so sad?!

If they've been in the incubator for 30 hours, they could have been in the brooder.
Even though people say the chicks don't "need" to eat food they want food after a few hours, even if it's just out of boredom.
Take chicks out of the incubator when the chicks are dried off or every few hours.