Hen Smashed Babies

[JacinLarkwell]

One of my Pheonix hens smashed half her babies yesterday at some point and I guess I'm just looking for possible answers. I really don't think she meant to hurt or kill them as she absolutely adore the nine she had and was clearly upset when we took the four little bodies away last night.

Some things that might help:
1) She's a first time mom
2) The chicks are about a week and a half or two weeks old.
3) only one that dies was a runt. The others were strong and healthy
4) One was actually alive but couldn't move and had to be put down
5) One was in the middle of the floor of the room she was in, the other 3 were under her including the paralyzed one
6) we have mice in the room and a possible snake
7) no wounds on any of the chicks and no slime on the one that was away from the others

 

[LaFleche]

One of my Pheonix hens smashed half her babies yesterday at some point and I guess I'm just looking for possible answers. I really don't think she meant to hurt or kill them as she absolutely adore the nine she had and was clearly upset when we took the four little bodies away last night.

Some things that might help:
1) She's a first time mom
2) The chicks are about a week and a half or two weeks old.
3) only one that dies was a runt. The others were strong and healthy
4) One was actually alive but couldn't move and had to be put down
5) One was in the middle of the floor of the room she was in, the other 3 were under her including the paralyzed one
6) we have mice in the room and a possible snake
7) no wounds on any of the chicks and no slime on the one that was away from the others

This explains it.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Alright, thanks. There weren't any marks on any and I checked for slime incase a snake had gotten the separate one and didn't find anything. Is it possible that the hen simply hunkered down too much on top of the chicks?

 

[RainbowHen]

Was it esp

Alright, thanks. There weren't any marks on any and I checked for slime incase a snake had gotten the separate one and didn't find anything. Is it possible that the hen simply hunkered down too much on top of the chicks?

This was my first thought. Especially if she was attacking the intruder the poor chicks may have been squashed in the scuffle. So sorry for your, and your hens, loss

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Thabks. It was probably a mouse. We had one that she was watching the night before that was getting rather bold, but aside from traps, we have no way to get rid of them and I can't risk a chick stepping in one.

 

[LaFleche]

Alright, thanks. There weren't any marks on any and I checked for slime incase a snake had gotten the separate one and didn't find anything. Is it possible that the hen simply hunkered down too much on top of the chicks?

Yes, and often they get in the way and get trampled on or smashed when the mother hen tries to fend off any predator. Even more so in the dark.

 

[dbtcowgirl]

I'm sorry for your loss, it is sadly the price we pay sometimes for loving our feathered friends. I wish you all the best going forward.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Try a bucket trap for the mice. They work great, no way to catch a chick and you just have to scoop the drowned mouse out and dispose of it.
I use 5 gallon buckets with lids, cut a hole in the side just below the lid and run the shaft across the bucket just below the hole.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Try a bucket trap for the mice. They work great, no way to catch a chick and you just have to scoop the drowned mouse out and dispose of it.
I use 5 gallon buckets with lids, cut a hole in the side just below the lid and run the shaft across the bucket just below the hole.

I'll try tgat, thabks. We had a pellet gun, but I didn't think it was worth risking hitting a bird or rabbit with my terrible aim.

It was probably dark, since that's when those rodents get braver. Luckily they're cowards during the day at least

 

[wyoDreamer]

One of the more southern BYCers uses a minnow trap to catch snakes in his coop. I think the snake was eating the eggs so he baited it with an egg.