Dead chicks outside and in broody nest.

[NewBeeChickGurl]

A lot of my hens seem to be going broody lately.... I've always thought it's best to let the broody hens hatch out some chicks and go through the natural phase.

I have 3 broody hens together in a separate area and have 2 have hatched out 1 chick each. However I've been finding chicks out of the shell dead....I have no clue what is/was happening.

Before the first chick from the first hen hatched out, I found a dead chick in the ground next to the nest.....and then when I went to check the nest, I found a dead chick mama hen was sitting on....

Now the 3rd hens has a new chick born yesterday and all 3 chicks and 3 hens seems to be doing ok.

There are 4 or 5 eggs left...I plan to remove those eggs and just let the 3 hens raise those 3 chicks together. Does anyone this this is a problem?

Has anyone have a similar experience?

Thank you for any help.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

One reason it's important to separate out a setting hen is to give her that privacy she needs to hatch her brood without birds adding eggs, and having other hens messing with the bonding process during, and right after the hatch.

When 2 broody hens set together sometimes there's confusion and chicks will be killed. In general any young chicks are in danger of being killed by other hens. That's why a smart hen will hide her nest far away from the flock, and not bring the chicks back until they are a week or two old. By than they are strong enough to get out of the way, and bonded enough with the mother hen that she will defend them fiercely.

I always separate a setting hen, and give her 2 weeks with her chicks where other hens can see and hear them through a fence before trying to let them rejoin the flock again.

Letting nature take it's course sounds good, except nature is cruel, and multiple loses are expected out of each brood. So stepping in, and helping, will up your success when hatching with broody hens.

 

[NewBeeChickGurl]

One reason it's important to separate out a setting hen is to give her that privacy she needs to hatch her brood without birds adding eggs, and having other hens messing with the bonding process during, and right after the hatch.

When 2 broody hens set together sometimes there's confusion and chicks will be killed. In general any young chicks are in danger of being killed by other hens. That's why a smart hen will hide her nest far away from the flock, and not bring the chicks back until they are a week or two old. By than they are strong enough to get out of the way, and bonded enough with the mother hen that she will defend them fiercely.

I always separate a setting hen, and give her 2 weeks with her chicks where other hens can see and hear them through a fence before trying to let them rejoin the flock again.

Letting nature take it's course sounds good, except nature is cruel, and multiple loses are expected out of each brood. So stepping in, and helping, will up your success when hatching with broody hens.

You think it was the other broody hens. Hmmmm.... maybe. thank you for your reply

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You think it was the other broody hens. Hmmmm.... maybe. thank you for your reply

That or any other passing hen.

 

[NewBeeChickGurl]

That or any other passing hen.

There was only the 3 together. Maybe I should separate next time. Idk. Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[NewBeeChickGurl]

There was only the 3 together. Maybe I should separate next time. Idk. Thanks for your thoughts!

Actually the first 2 chicks that died....there was only that hen in its own nesting box....it was being kept in the same area as the other 2 hens, but had its own Nesting box. I find it hard to believe that the 2 hens got out from sitting to go attack chicks, but idk....mother nature can be cruel. one chick was found dead next to the box while the other in the nesting box after I took the rest of the eggs and put them in my inchabtor. One just hatch from those eggs in my incuabtor btw....so there is that.