Hens ate unhatched chicks

[Rivergirl06]

I've read that ducks will eat the shell of dead eggs, and then drag the bodies away from nest so that predators wont be led to the next by dead eggs.
I would be careful when cleaning out that coop, I found a ducklings body like this burred in dirty bedding. When I grabbed a handful of straw to put in a bucket, a dead duckling fel out.
Would a hen do this to? Was the belly eaten out, or just on the outside of the chicks body?

There was two viable eggs, I candled them on day 10. There was no egg shells, one baby gone and the other had it's belly ate out.

 

[Rivergirl06]

If you already have a broody to raise chicks, you should just break the barred rock. I'm sorry about your unhatched babies.

Thank you

 

[Rivergirl06]

If you already have a broody to raise chicks, you should just break the barred rock. I'm sorry about your unhatched babies.

Sounds like a plan

 

[theoldchick]

I had the same thing happen. The other hens pulled the broody off the nest and ate the eggs. I'm like well...can't say what I was thinking on this forum. I learned to put the broody in her own spot away from the others. Fricking cannibals. It's not like they are starving to death, or lacking in nutrients.

 

[Weeg]

There was two viable eggs, I candled them on day 10. There was no egg shells, one baby gone and the other had it's belly ate out.

Exactly, the fact that there were no shells makes me think these eggs died, she ate the shell, hide one body and hadn't hid the next one yet.
Can other hens get into her space? If so, is very possible that another hen started to eat the dead chick before momma could hide it.
But, if you candled these specific eggs and saw veins and movement, then momma hen is a bad momma.

 

[Weeg]

I had the same thing happen. The other hens pulled the broody off the nest and ate the eggs. I'm like well...can't say what I was thinking on this forum. I learned to put the broody in her own spot away from the others. Fricking cannibals. It's not like they are starving to death, or lacking in nutrients.

Another possibility. It doesn't make sense to me that momma would crack and eat her own viable chicks. Live chicks that she doesn't think are hers, yes, but unhatched, I don't know. This is a very possible exclamation.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I had the same thing happen. The other hens pulled the broody off the nest and ate the eggs. I'm like well...can't say what I was thinking on this forum. I learned to put the broody in her own spot away from the others. Fricking cannibals. It's not like they are starving to death, or lacking in nutrients.

We actually had some alpha hens kill my broody earlier. Mire likely she wouldn't get off the nest to let them lay an egg since they were all still alive and uneaten, but it can gappen, especially if the broody isn't in the top 2

 

[Rivergirl06]

Exactly, the fact that there were no shells makes me think these eggs died, she ate the shell, hide one body and hadn't hid the next one yet.
Can other hens get into her space? If so, is very possible that another hen started to eat the dead chick before momma could hide it.
But, if you candled these specific eggs and saw veins and movement, then momma hen is a bad momma.

It wasn't the body hen that ate the eggs, I caught a hen pecking and eating other eggs, what should I do to break this hen from doing it again ? Or do I invite her to dinner.

 

[Weeg]

It wasn't the body hen that ate the eggs, I caught a hen pecking and eating other eggs, what should I do to break this hen from doing it again ? Or do I invite her to dinner.

Oh, that makes WAY more sense! Hahahaha! I was confused when I thought you said the broody ate them. Hahah!

 

[Weeg]

Try mustard eggs.
Hollow out an egg by poking a hole in each end, and blowing the insides out. Then take piping bag and fill it with mustard. Put these eggs in the nesting box, so when they break them open they get a nasty surprise. Most hens don't like mustard eggs. My hens liked the mustard lol! I have egg eaters to.