Homicidal broody?

[Achelois]

Yesterday evening I found an eggshell in the corner of the brooder pen. Just a yolk covered shell, no trace of a chick. They were due to hatch Friday/Saturday, all were viable. The nest box is a box with sides - you can't roll an egg out. I assumed a rat must have somehow got in, even though there was no chewed wire or signs of digging.

Today, in daylight, I was.confronted with a stark reality - the hen has yolk on her feet and traces of blood and fluff on her beak. Somehow, this egg has been broken and she's helped eat the chick. Can a hen even eat a fully developed chick with beak, feet and all? I'm horrified. She's raised a clutch of five at the beginning of the season and shown no sign of egg eating. She's had food and water. Now another one is pipping and it's only day 19. Like it KNOWS and wants out. My home made bator is not stable enough for hatch. Fingers crossed.

 

[Triple Willow]

The hen will remove bad eggs from the nest and eat them. I don't know how they know which is good and which isn't, thy just know and are doing what they're supposed to do. They can tuck the egg up under their wing and move it.

 

[Achelois]

The hen will remove bad eggs from the nest and eat them. I don't know how they know which is good and which isn't, thy just know and are doing what they're supposed to do. They can tuck the egg up under their wing and move it.

Really? I find that hard to believe in this case. I candled these ones a few days earlier and they were alive. There was fresh red veining on the eggshell. I believe the chick was alive when the egg was broken. The other thing is, most of the eggs I removed at candling as they were clears. She never ate those. I've also had eggs go a full 22 days under these hens before and candled them to find clears and late quitters that the hens never removed. I'd love to think that was what happened, but something's killed this chick.

The unknown factor is whether it was accidental/rat breakage and her opportunism or whether she pecked it apart.

 

[fuzziecreatures]

I had a first time broody Jersey Giant last year. She killed and partially ate several chicks when they were hatching while I was at work. I went to check on her as soon as I got home. Saw the dead and partially eaten chicks, removed them from her cage. I sat there for an hour waiting to see what she would do. Another chick started hatching, started cheeping loudly and she started pecking it! I put my hand over the chick, she stopped pecking. I waited for a while to let the chick get some strength to move a little more out of the egg and once he was completely out, I moved my hand. She looked at him, didn't peck so I stuck him underneath her. I waited for another to hatch. She did just fine for the others. Raised a clutch of 8. She would have had 12.

 

[Triple Willow]

@Achelois... you might be right in this case with your hen. These creatures have a mind of their own. I'm sure they mess up sometimes.

@Fuzziecreatures... that's very interesting.

 

[Achelois]

I had a first time broody Jersey Giant last year.  She killed and partially ate several chicks when they were hatching while I was at work.  I went to check on her as soon as I got home.  Saw the dead and partially eaten chicks, removed them from her cage. I sat there for an hour waiting to see what she would do.  Another chick started hatching, started cheeping loudly and she started pecking it!  I put my hand over the chick, she stopped pecking.  I waited for a while to let the chick get some strength to move a little more out of the egg and once he was completely out, I moved my hand.  She looked at him, didn't peck so I stuck him underneath her.  I waited for another to hatch.  She did just fine for the others.  Raised a clutch of 8.  She would have had 12.

Interesting (and horrible!). This one isn't a first time mother which is what confuses me. We did have an egg disappear under her when she brooded in a woodshed but we blamed that on a rat (husband thinks I miscounted at candling, I didn't). She was very protective other than that. Still, I don't trust her. I have other hens including one who is still mothering her clutch at 9 weeks, so I don't think I'll let this one sit again. It was too early to be a hatch death. I'm going to hope it was accidental breakage because it helps me sleep at night...and forgive my hen.