Okay, so I'm sure she is the one doing it, I've seen her peck at the chicks. Unfortunately by the time I get to them she's usually done too much damage to save them or already killed them. Today I went out to check and she was gone with her "golden child." She had pecked the other chick that was doing well, but not too bad so I brought it in. Then there was another just hatched chick that she had already pecked at, that I brought in as well, though not sure if it will make it. They are both in the bath tub with a heat lamp. There are four more eggs under the hen that while she was gone I moved to the side to get rid of after I got the chicks into the house. Well that crazy hen and her favorite child were back by the time I'd gotten done and she'd moved those four eggs back underneath herself. I think I will try to catch her off the nest and get those eggs ASAP. They didn't feel that warm when I was moving them, and I just can't handle any more bloody-headed puff-balls.
On an interesting side note on the life of this hen- Last summer there was a frenzy out in the yard and I looked out to see her in the mouth of a fox (in broad daylight), I ran out there barefoot yelling and she was able to escape with only minor injuries. Three possoms later I was able to catch and relocate the fox. Then this spring she was sitting on eggs when a storm came through and a tree fell on the hen house and crushed several chickens. I have no idea how she was not one of the casualties. So, I have a real soft spot for this hen, but I'm not very happy with her right now.
