Hen kills chicks as they hatch!

[Hedley'sCoop]

Please tell me how to stop my hen (Black Cochin) from killing the chicks as they hatch! The first egg hatched and she became a wonderful mother. As each subsequent egg has hatched, I find the chicks dead. After finding the first two dead, I assumed it was natural causes. The next three I found on the floor of the coop with heads missing, shortly after hatching. Next one, I arrived just in time to rescue the chick before the mother got her and I am raising her inside the house. One egg was not yet hatched. I have it inside, keeping it warm.

I took the 2 day old chick in to the coop to see the reaction of the hen. upon spotting the chick, she immediately tried to attack!

Why is this hen so agressive to all but the fist one hatched?

Will I ever be able to integrate the baby (that I am raising) in to the flock?

Please help!

 

[baldie]

I dont know, but I would love to see what other people have to say! I am sorry for your ordeal. That must have been so sad to see.

 

[Picky Chicky]

How sad! I don't know why she's doing this (am interested any other BYCers expert thoughts), but I'm curious - is this her first hatch or has she mothered chicks prior?

 

[Hedley'sCoop]

This is her first hatch. Very docile chicken normally. Good mother to the first chick.

 

[Jenski]

This hen is a bad broody. Frankly, I would cull her to someone else's flock, perhaps someone who wants just a laying hen. If you keep her you may be able to integrate the chicks when they are of a similar size to the hen.

It happens sometimes; not all hens are good mothers, although there's always the outside possibility there is some defect in the chicks.

Sorry for your loss.