Do you give a chick killing hen a second chance?

[kroder]

I have a year old D'Anver that went broody for the first time a few months ago and sat on 7 eggs. They started hatching two days before I expected and she was still in the coop with the other hens. I went out and found the newly hatched chick pecked to death and thrown on the floor. I assumed another hen had done it. I got her moved into a crate and she settled in nicely. I went out the next morning and she had killed all but 2. One was huddled behind her and the other I actually thought was dead. It had been pecked and was pushed out from under her. I noticed it moving just a bit right before I was getting ready to dispose of the bodies. The remaining chicks were mutilated.

She has gone broody again and I can't decide if I want to let her try again. Has anyone ever given a hen a second chance? I have some eggs coming today or tommorrow and want to use a broody. Right now I have a Silkie and a Brahma that I am going to use. I would let her sit on some if I can trust her not to kill them. Her sister hatched out some just last week and is a great mother. Is it possible she will know what to do the second time around? Has anyone had good luck with this?

 

[1muttsfan]

No. Absolutely not.

 

[spikennipper]

If you have other birds that are more reliable then I would not give this bird a second chance, just use the others, it is not worth risking the chicks again unless you want to try and know you can be there when they hatch so you can get them out if she does it again? it may be that she was just stressed due to the move and perhaps the other chickens? if you try again make sure she is in one place throughout the whole incubation that is quiet and secluded away from the main flock and that you are there to watch when they hatch.

 

[Wolftalk]

Its just not worth it.

 

[kroder]

Thanks. That is pretty much what I thought, but wanted to know if anyone had tried. My husband said defiantly not and even wanted me to dispatch her after she killed her chicks. But, she and her sister are more pets than part of my flock. I will just put her in the "broody box" and hope she doesn't continue to go broody.