Egg stealing hen

[Ducky be good]

Hi all

I have 2 Silkie hens that have been sitting on seperate clutches. The one hatched her clutch last week and is now stealing from the second hen that has eggs due, to hatch, in 2 days. I removed a broken, fully developed, egg from under the first hen today.
Is this a normal fowl behaviour?

The first Silkie also had 5 of her chicks killed. Not sure if her or the rooster was to blame. Rooster was removed and the remaining eggs hatched ok, so I am guessing he is the problem.
Any suggestions?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's always best to separate setting hens. It can be as simple as slipping a circle of fencing around them. Other hens will eat eggs,and kill chicks. Not always but enough that it best to confine them during the setting and up to a week or two after they hatch.

 

[Ducky be good]

It's always best to separate setting hens. It can be as simple as slipping a circle of fencing around them. Other hens will eat eggs,and kill chicks. Not always but enough that it best to confine them during the setting and up to a week or two after they hatch.

Thank you. Lets see how this clutch goes. Be safe.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

It's always best to separate setting hens. It can be as simple as slipping a circle of fencing around them. Other hens will eat eggs,and kill chicks. Not always but enough that it best to confine them during the setting and up to a week or two after they hatch.

I must 2nd old hens' post. Hens want to sit in private, they have no interest in sharing a nest. That is a silly human emotion that harps back to "Oh look, isn't that cute, those two (or more) hens are sitting on the same eggs." Take my word for it, hens are not enthralled with this kind of arrangement, and some hens will happily kill the other hens' chicks as fast as they hatch or turn on each other and neglect their duties to the eggs or kill all the chicks with friendly fire as the two hens fight each other.

 

[Ducky be good]

I must 2nd old hens' post. Hens want to sit in private, they have no interest in sharing a nest. That is a silly human emotion that harps back to "Oh look, isn't that cute, those two (or more) hens are sitting on the same eggs." Take my word for it, hens are not enthralled with this kind of arrangement, and some hens will happily kill the other hens' chicks as fast as they hatch or turn on each other and neglect their duties to the eggs or kill all the chicks with friendly fire as the two hens fight each other.

Thank you for the input. These two were in two separate nests with a divider. They stolen egg was, I think, pecked open and carried. Sounds crazy, but what other explanation? If it was rolled it would have fallen to the ground.