Confused Mama hen

[Lisa L]

Ellen sat on and finally hatched four chicks.One (as I posted earlier) did not survive due to no scalp covering on top of head) and two seemed okay only to end up dead with possible pecks to the head...I’m not certain at this point. She sat on the two dead ones for a day until I realized it. She had three other eggs underneath her so I moved them to my other broody girl, Margo,since she was sitting on zero eggs for a week. So Ellen doesn’t seem to want to leave her nest box. Her chick is fine, but over a week old and they haven’t left the box area at all. Ellen just sits in there all day, it seems. Today, Margo got up for a break only to come back and find Ellen on her eggs. What is going on with Ellen? I’m beginning to worry about her.

 

[DobieLover]

Ellen sat on and finally hatched four chicks.One (as I posted earlier) did not survive due to no scalp covering on top of head) and two seemed okay only to end up dead with possible pecks to the head...I’m not certain at this point. She sat on the two dead ones for a day until I realized it. She had three other eggs underneath her so I moved them to my other broody girl, Margo,since she was sitting on zero eggs for a week. So Ellen doesn’t seem to want to leave her nest box. Her chick is fine, but over a week old and they haven’t left the box area at all. Ellen just sits in there all day, it seems. Today, Margo got up for a break only to come back and find Ellen on her eggs. What is going on with Ellen? I’m beginning to worry about her.

Do you think she may have killed her chicks?
It doesn't sound like she's cut out for motherhood.
Did you have a staggered hatch under her? How can she have unhatched eggs and a one week old chick?

 

[Lisa L]

Do you think she may have killed her chicks?
It doesn't sound like she's cut out for motherhood.
Did you have a staggered hatch under her? How can she have unhatched eggs and a one week old chick?

I don't know if she did or not... my Rooster is a wonderful father so I'm leaning towards the possibility that it was Ellen. She kept stealing eggs from my other two broodies so yes, staggered. She is great with her one chick though...other than not leaving her box area. I do fear for Margo's once hatched if it was indeed Ellen who murdered her two chicks.