help

[new chicken mommy]

I have a broody sitting on eggs. Is it normal for the broody to peck at the chick trying to come out of the shell?? Thank you

 

[courtshep]

I hope you get a good answer to this!! I can't help, but I did have a chick that was pecking on and egg that was pipping. It worried me so I removed the chick to brooder. But in your case that would not help!

 

[new chicken mommy]

ya it scared me i dont know what she was doing i have never done this before....

 

[Mrs.Puff]

Just let her be. She might be trying to help. If she starts to injure the chick, she might be a bad mom. You might have to raise the chicks yourself.

 

[new chicken mommy]

it had only pipped as of this morning when i went to check and then about a half hour later i went out and it was chirping like crazy it looked like another hen got in there and mushed the egg. and the broody was pecking at the chick. I brought it in and put it under a warm light and it seems to be doing well.

 

[jvls1942]

are you sure she was not just grooming the chick? I think if she was going to be malicious, the chick would have been dead before you got there,, It takes only 1 or 2 pecks to kill a chick..

 

[citrusdreams]

I've seen my hen helping chicks out of their shell too many times to count. And they groom them all the time. And yes, if she wanted to kill it, she would have before you got there. So don't worry

 

[new chicken mommy]

it was mostly out of the shell and she was pecking at its feet it was moving the whole chick she was doing it hard.

 

[jvls1942]

you have to realize that chick weighs less than an ounce.. of course it is going to move a lot..

If the hen pecked it three times and it was not dead, she was not trying to kill it..

 

[Mrs.Puff]

You better get that chick back out under her if you intend on it being raised by her and not you. Chicks "imprint" on the first thing they start to see clearly. If that's you, you become mama.