Hen eats chick?

[Lillybird]

I hope someone can tell me if this is possible.. one of my broodies hatched out her chicks.. when I went into see her she flew out of the box at me and in the process dragged an only just hatched chick out with her, it still had a small bit of shell on it and was still wet.. I popped it back right next to her , certainly close enough for her to cover it with her breast.. but the next day it had gone.. nowhere to be seen.. the other chicks were still there.. but this one had vanished.. I think when she accidentley dragged it out of the nest with her she stood on it and I saw a bit of blood on it but just wanted to get it back under here asap.. It has vanished.. could have the mum have eaten the chick? there is no way a predator could have had it..

 

[chickenlver2013]

I hope someone can tell me if this is possible.. one of my broodies hatched out her chicks.. when I went into see her she flew out of the box at me and in the process dragged an only just hatched chick out with her, it still had a small bit of shell on it and was still wet.. I popped it back right next to her , certainly close enough for her to cover it with her breast.. but the next day it had gone.. nowhere to be seen.. the other chicks were still there.. but this one had vanished.. I think when she accidentley dragged it out of the nest with her she stood on it and I saw a bit of blood on it but just wanted to get it back under here asap.. It has vanished.. could have the mum have eaten the chick? there is no way a predator could have had it..

hens don't eat there chicks. Most likely a predator probably got it.

 

[Lillybird]

Nope.. not a predator.. I know that 100%.. I think what I am saying is.. my hen ate her chick.. could it have been because i touched it to put it back, or because she knew it was damaged..

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I have never seen a hen eat her own chick...could it be that another hen ate the chick? Other hens will kill chicks. I could see how maybe after they kill a chick they might eat it.

 

[chooks4life]

Rats are opportunistic predators who will attack at any hour, and often even aggressive mothers won't defend against them. I had a very experienced reliable mother lose 9 chicks in one night, first to a phascogale, then to a rabid rat. Hilarious, I know. First the carnivorous possum goes under her and drags out and disembowels babies, leaving them for me to kill; we catch the possum, remove it; then about an hour later there's a screaming rat waddling around the cage in mortal rabid agony, occasionally dragging out a baby to dismember... But not kill... Again, my job. Relocated the possum, killed the rat.

Another rat, different occasion, in broad daylight, stole from straight under the mothers a few baby turkeys and one chicken baby. It stowed them alive in tunnels, after biting into the turkey babies' heads to cripple them, but didn't harm the chicken baby. They will happily get up to anything they want in broad daylight, and it's incredibly hard to rat-proof a cage. They will even wait for you to open a door for them.

Hens aren't like wild birds that might abandon a baby because you touched it. I've raised hundreds of chickens, and even had some terrible mothers who cripple babies, including one who ate their eyes and brains, but have never seen any chicken eat a baby chicken, which is bizarre because they eat mice, rats, snakes, etc. And even more bizarre because they've all had constant access to all babies I've ever hatched. By now, surely, some hen would have eaten a chick, if they were inclined.... But all my losses have always been acounted for. If you didn't see the hen do it how can you be 100% sure? However, if you are sure you're sure, then I guess you should cull or rehome the hen. It's up to you, but I don't personally keep any bird of either gender who I don't trust with chicks.

 

[Lillybird]

It is very bizarre as she is a fantastic mother with her other chicks.. I think the chick died as it was damaged when she dragged it out with her and she ate it to clean up the nest for the other hatching chicks.. I know that no predator would have got them.. there is no way it could have got in with her... I guess I'll never know for sure, I was probably just hoping you guys on here would say.. Oh yes, this is why they do it etc.. thanks for the replies though... ps.. I have a beautiful Araucana hen sitting on eggs and tonight I heard them cheeping under her.. haven't seen them yet, she is sitting tight.. maybe tomorrow

 

[chickenlver2013]

It is very bizarre as she is a fantastic mother with her other chicks.. I think the chick died as it was damaged when she dragged it out with her and she ate it to clean up the nest for the other hatching chicks.. I know that no predator would have got them.. there is no way it could have got in with her... I guess I'll never know for sure, I was probably just hoping you guys on here would say.. Oh yes, this is why they do it etc.. thanks for the replies though... ps.. I have a beautiful Araucana hen sitting on eggs and tonight I heard them cheeping under her.. haven't seen them yet, she is sitting tight.. maybe tomorrow  

when my chick died my hen drug it out of tgr nest in the chicken house and I found it in a Bush

 

[chickenlver2013]

Her*

 

[chooks4life]

@chickenlver2013: if you do a typo or whatever and need to correct it, you can just edit the post. That's the function of the pencil icon in the bottom left side of your post.

 

[Carin]

If a chick is dead or beyond saving a hen will eat it. If s chick is abnormal and is going to be a problem in the flock the hen will kill it. That is nature and I do not think it is a reason to get rid of the hen. Not all hens will do it and not all hens will eat the dead or abnormal chick but yes they do it and it is not abnormal behaviour.