I have a brooding BR sitting on 17 (at last count eggs) due yesterday/today. Yesterday I found one partially hatched egg on the floor of the coop with a fully developed chick (dead...dark in color). This morning when I checked she has one hatched chick (dark in color) and was in the process of killing another...it was a blondie, entirely possible since I have other Buffs in the coop. Hubby thinks that either the chick was defective (looked fine to me) or she killed it because she knew it wasn't hers? I am heartbroken...poor thing. Question: I do not have an incubator, just a box for chicks with a heat lamp. Should I remove the living chick and rest of eggs and try to hatch them out in the box? Or let nature take its course? I sure don't want her killing any more. What do I do?
remove them I would... As far as her killing it because it was not hers I don't think so. If they brood them they usually accept them as their eggs. They will sit on anyones eggsas long as they get to set...She just is not a good mother in general i am thinking.....
