Help! Baby chickens getting eaten!

[CluckinAndTruckin]

I have yet to make a separate broody box because I've been working on some emergency home repairs that took precedence. I sectioned off an area inside the coop but here in south Louisiana the moms don't want to be there too long and wanted to leave their babies too early, at least that's what happened with a mama I had in there before. One lady went broody in the nest box, another under the "porch" I built on their coop.

They are all first time moms, only a year old.

One mama hatched a beautiful baby, the next day it was missing. After reading up in here I assumed snake, or rat, but was not sure how they were getting into the coop. We've also had eggs getting broken or missing which I assumed was from other ladies trying to share the nest box and smashing the eggs in the process. One of the eggs had an almost fully formed chicken @ day 20, I came back to bury it shortly after finding it dead and it was GONE.

Next mama hen hatched three babies, two of which were olive eggers I was hoping for! Next day I come home and Karen is running around the pen with one in her mouth! trying to snack and keep it away from the other hens, one of my other hens, Marty was chasing her for it.

I've noticed recently that Karen (who is very nosey) is always checking out the nest boxes and has been eating eggs occasionally. I pick em up every day so I'm not sure how many but ever once and a while I will find some shell in the boxes. I leave ceramic ones in there to discourage that and I've watched her move them around ignoring them looking for other eggs, she doesn't peck the ceramics! She's always checking out the nest boxes.

I'm pretty bummed out, shes the hen I was taking chicks from to hatch, and she's my only olive egger. She's kind of a princess and a snack hound but I love her. Do I have to get rid of her? Any way I can discourage this behavior? There's other 1 week/ 4 week / 6 week babies running around the run and even though she plays pecking order they all seem to be fine. What to do?? Help!

 

[NatJ]

What to do?? Help!

If you think one particular hen is causing the trouble, you could try putting her in a separate pen (maybe with one or two others for company, or maybe inside the main area so she can socialize through the sides of her pen.)

Or you could be sure to pen up broodies with young chicks.

Either way, it looks like you only need to keep them separate for a week or two before the babies are safe.

For the egg eating, I've read that roll-away nestboxes work well. Chickens can learn from each other to eat eggs, so even if she is the only one eating eggs now, that may change

You might check how much protein is in the feed. If she genuinely needs more protein, then eating eggs and chicks is an obvious thing for her to do. But if she's getting enough protein, then she's doing it for some other reason.

 

[3KillerBs]

If there is one particular hen doing so much damage to the flock I'm sure she would calm down in a long, hot herbal bath.

Can you get a camera on them to see if it's just her?

 

[CluckinAndTruckin]

If you think one particular hen is causing the trouble, you could try putting her in a separate pen (maybe with one or two others for company, or maybe inside the main area so she can socialize through the sides of her pen.)

Or you could be sure to pen up broodies with young chicks.

Either way, it looks like you only need to keep them separate for a week or two before the babies are safe.

For the egg eating, I've read that roll-away nestboxes work well. Chickens can learn from each other to eat eggs, so even if she is the only one eating eggs now, that may change

You might check how much protein is in the feed. If she genuinely needs more protein, then eating eggs and chicks is an obvious thing for her to do. But if she's getting enough protein, then she's doing it for some other reason.

Thanks for the reply. She grabbed the other olive egger chick before I got up to separate her today. Looks like she'll be sleeping outside in the dog crate for a while until I have enough time to make a broody village coop. I tried to relocate a nest of another bird and she was not having it. Completely freaked, so not sure how to address that.

Great idea about a roll away nest box. I'll have to figure out how to retrofit my boxes.

The feed is 18% right now which should be more than enough. But I have been battling mites which is probably causing some strife in the flock. Just sprayed everyone and the coop with Elector PSP so hopefully that will be over asap.

Thanks again

 

[Aunt Angus]

If there is one particular hen doing so much damage to the flock I'm sure she would calm down in a long, hot herbal bath.

Can you get a camera on them to see if it's just her?

I see what you did there.

 

[CluckinAndTruckin]

If there is one particular hen doing so much damage to the flock I'm sure she would calm down in a long, hot herbal bath.

Can you get a camera on them to see if it's just her?

Hah! I'm trying to avoid that relaxing bath but we'll see how everything else that NatJ suggested works out.

Good idea on the camera! Thanks.

 

[3KillerBs]

Hah! I'm trying to avoid that relaxing bath but we'll see how everything else that NatJ suggested works out.

Good idea on the camera! Thanks.

Personally, I wouldn't try to avoid that.

I can't imagine her having genetics valuable enough to compensate for the chicks she's already destroyed -- plus the risk of her teaching the behavior to other flock members.