Crazy Broody Hen?

[thudson]

Recently I had a hen I hatched from an incubator not too long ago go broody. She decided she wanted to be a mom. I thought now that's cool! So I gave her a half dozen eggs to sit on in the main coop! (1st mistake) did not Mark the eggs (2nd mistake) lot of laying hens in same coop. So I let her set diligently on the eggs and waited 21 days. Curiosity got me I had to have a peek so I looked and she wasn't on the 6 eggs I put under her but on clutch of 20 eggs. At that point I panicked a little. (3rd mistake) I moved her and the 20 eggs to a smaller coop. The next day one hatched and I was excited I thought I and she had pulled it off. 2 days later another hatched but I found it dead. I thought, oh that happens. Then next day another hatched same thing dead in same place as other one. Then I thought this is strange. What is happening here? Next day 2 more hatch alive and flipping around. So I kept a close eye on them. Then I saw it, she pecked and killed them before I could get to her. Frustrated I removed the rest of the eggs to an incubator to see if I could hatch them there safely. I left her one chick with her who was running around pretty good so it should be fine or was it? (4 mistake) I found it dead the next morning in the waterer. So did I make too many mistakes or is she a little crazy? Since I moved the eggs to the incubator 4 have hatched and alive and kicking in the brooder. So any advice on this occurrence is appreciated!

 

[DobieLover]

Some hens are chick killers. Some kind of defect in them, who knows.
You should not only not allow her to brood again, you should never allow one of her eggs to hatch.
Out of curiosity, what is this hens ranking in your flock? Has she ever been the victim of attacks by others in the flock?

 

[thudson]

Some hens are chick killers. Some kind of defect in them, who knows.
You should not only not allow her to brood again, you should never allow one of her eggs to hatch.
Out of curiosity, what is this hens ranking in your flock? Has she ever been the victim of attacks by others in the flock?

Yes she is in the lower rankings of the flock because of the fact she is the youngest in the flock!

 

[thudson]

Update: up to five chicks now alive and kicking in the brooder. The incubator I got is doing an amazing job on the remaining eggs! Still got about 7 eggs left to go!

 

[Shezadandy]

Some hens are chick killers. Some kind of defect in them, who knows.
You should not only not allow her to brood again, you should never allow one of her eggs to hatch.
Out of curiosity, what is this hens ranking in your flock? Has she ever been the victim of attacks by others in the flock?

Agree completely- if she ever goes broody again, break her. We use a large cat trap, the 'have a heart' kind, propped up on 2x4's so the air reaches and cools her underside. Had one hen who brooded her eggs all the way through then killed her first chick- I was lucky enough to save the remaining eggs- she immediately got up and ran away after I took the eggs. Another picked hers up and flung them- nobody died, thank goodness --- and that hen's full sister is one of my best broody hens. Who knows why - but now you know she's not wired to raise babies.

 

[NancyD84]

Update: up to five chicks now alive and kicking in the brooder. The incubator I got is doing an amazing job on the remaining eggs! Still got about 7 eggs left to go!

How old was the hen? Because my silkie 7 month old has been broody and I thought of giving her the baby chicks from incubator but not sure if she'll accept them. I don't want her to kill them.