EMERGENCY- chick picked bloody, half hatched eggs everywhere

[KiwiandPeachthePigeons]

I went outside and heard a little chick peeping and when I went to check, his head was being picked by it’s mother. Both sides were fluff less, and caked blood all around. I snatched him up quick but I stopped because I saw an egg on the ground, half zipped and membrane all dry and brown. There were two others so I took those and they’re in the incubator. What do I do now? I’m freaking out. Is the mom just a bad mother and is there anything I could do to fix it?

 

[TopazMaster91]

Whoa, the mother was pecking at the baby chick til it was bloody?
Without more info I cannot say anything concretely, but it sounds like she doesn't know what she is doing, or she rejected it for some reason.
I'd take the eggs and chick inside and raise them myself.

 

[KiwiandPeachthePigeons]

I took all eggs and chicks and they’re sitting in my brooder now. I have a silkie with eggs die to hatch very soon, could I transplant them to her? She’s already fostering some chicks on top of sitting so I don’t want to put too much burden on her.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Whoa, the mother was pecking at the baby chick til it was bloody?
Without more info I cannot say anything concretely, but it sounds like she doesn't know what she is doing, or she rejected it for some reason.
I'd take the eggs and chick inside and raise them myself.

I agree. I hope someone comes in to offer more advice, but from what I've read, if the membrane is dry you want to spread a little coconut oil on them to help keep things moist. I wish you the best of luck. I'm sorry this traumatic thing has happened! Sometimes mama hens just aren't good mamas. I'd not let her try again. The chances of that happening are small, but you just can't predict that until the day comes.


If your silkie hatches her eggs within 1-3 days of the others hatching, you will be able to transplant them. Beyond 2 days it becomes questionable if they will take to her or her to them.

 

[TopazMaster91]

I took all eggs and chicks and they’re sitting in my brooder now. I have a silkie with eggs die to hatch very soon, could I transplant them to her? She’s already fostering some chicks on top of sitting so I don’t want to put too much burden on her.

As long as the chicks are very young and the eggs are going to hatch within a few days, you could always try slipping the chicks behind her at night once her eggs are hatching, she'll probably adopt them and be none the wiser.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

I took all eggs and chicks and they’re sitting in my brooder now. I have a silkie with eggs die to hatch very soon, could I transplant them to her? She’s already fostering some chicks on top of sitting so I don’t want to put too much burden on her.

Ok, so first- yes you got a bad mom. Something went wrong in her head and she isn't accepting the chicks as hers. This happens- and it's not like that is a bad hen forever- just something didn't "click" this time around. If she does it next hatch- then clearly don;t let her go broody any more. Either way, she has rejected them, can't put the eggs under her anymore.

As for moving them to another broody mama- yes you can absolutely do that and I do it all the time with mine (I have FOUR broody's right now with chicks, much to my dismay!). The catch is you need to sneak them under her (if she sees them before you put them under her she will likely not accept them!). Hide them in your hand, sneak them under her- its important the first time she sees the chick it is coming out from under her. The other catch is you need to sneak them under her right after the others hatch and dry- or else she may abandon the nest with eggs just about to hatch! So you'll need a heat lamp and container until then... and even then she may not accept them so be prepared to raise them with heat for the long haul.

On the dry membrane egg- you will likely need to help that one hatch if you want it to survive. Chicks can't cut the leathery brown membrane if it dries like that and will be trapped. If the others haven't hatched you may be ok on those still.

 

[TopazMaster91]

I had a chick hatch extremely late for some reason, five days after the other four,
and my momma girl didn't want it- she'd growl and lightly peck it away.
It was too young, just wanted to sleep under her, and she was busy raising the four older chicks. So if you do slip it under your Silkie make sure they're not too much older than the ones she hatches, otherwise it might not work out. I had to give the late chick to another broody I luckily had sitting on nothing, and she took it.

 

[KiwiandPeachthePigeons]

Ok, so first- yes you got a bad mom. Something went wrong in her head and she isn't accepting the chicks as hers. This happens- and it's not like that is a bad hen forever- just something didn't "click" this time around. If she does it next hatch- then clearly don;t let her go broody any more. Either way, she has rejected them, can't put the eggs under her anymore.

As for moving them to another broody mama- yes you can absolutely do that and I do it all the time with mine (I have FOUR broody's right now with chicks, much to my dismay!). The catch is you need to sneak them under her (if she sees them before you put them under her she will likely not accept them!). Hide them in your hand, sneak them under her- its important the first time she sees the chick it is coming out from under her. The other catch is you need to sneak them under her right after the others hatch and dry- or else she may abandon the nest with eggs just about to hatch! So you'll need a heat lamp and container until then... and even then she may not accept them so be prepared to raise them with heat for the long haul.

On the dry membrane egg- you will likely need to help that one hatch if you want it to survive. Chicks can't cut the leathery brown membrane if it dries like that and will be trapped. If the others haven't hatched you may be ok on those still.

I assisted the dry membrane chicks and all are well and drying. Thanks so much for all your help guys! I candled the silkies eggs and most of them are starting shadowing and pushing against the membrane so they are soon to hatch. I'll try to transplant the chicks tonight and monitor them closely.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

I assisted the dry membrane chicks and all are well and drying. Thanks so much for all your help guys! I candled the silkies eggs and most of them are starting shadowing and pushing against the membrane so they are soon to hatch. I'll try to transplant the chicks tonight and monitor them closely.

Good luck! Silkies are notoriously good moms so fingers crossed for your transplant babies!
Here's some good karma for you- all 6 of these chicks were incubated and "snuck" under mom, and all accepted and loving life!

 

[KiwiandPeachthePigeons]

Babies are under mama silkie now! I