Mama squished baby!

[Qalupalik]

Three weeks ago, one of my broodies hatched 11 gorgeous chicks. She is what I would consider an ideal mother. When my other hen went broody, I thought she was a little dumb, but would let her have a go at it. Today the eggs she was sitting on started to hatch. I was so excited! She seemed to be doing alright after all. I went out, and the fluffballs slowly increased in number. Then I went out to check on them, and she was standing on the neck of one of her chicks, who by that time was completely dead. There was less than an hour between the times that I checked on them. I am very upset, because that is not a good reason to die... squished by mother. Now I'm worried about the rest of them, but I can't spend all night with her making sure she doesn't squish the rest, and I'm not set up with an incubator to hatch the rest myself. Not sure what I should do, besides not allowing her to hatch a set of chicks again! She seriously looks shocked/confused about the whole thing.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? What did you do?

 

[stuckinthecity]

I'm so sorry! I would be upset too. And, unless she's a pet, I would cull her from the flock. I would go ahead and take the chicks she has and then come back early the next morning to get the rest.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

How did she end up doing? I just had a similar experience. One of my Silkies set on her eggs and hatched a couple of chicks, still doing a great job with them. Another of my Silkies sat and did a good job, chicks hatched and I thought she was fine. Came back to check on her, found a dead chick. Came back to check later, found another dead chick (she only hatched 2). Anyway, I was figuring my nesting box was a little small, and she did it on accident. I always give first timers another try too. Some of my absolute best mother hens didn't get it right the first go sound, but they seemed to learn from their mistake. Now, mess up twice- yep, that hens getting culled and so are any pullets I happen to hatch from her. Anyway, she's doing a better job today!

 

[shellyjimrye]

I personally wouldnt cull her for what very well could be an accident. I would watch her and keep and eye out. If another ends up dead, I would remove the chicks and put her out. I also would not allow her to set on eggs again. I know that from being on a farm, things like that happen all the time with all sorts of different animals, not just chickens. To cull immediately seems harsh to me personally.

 

[SobbaChickens]

Why in the world would you kill a chicken for something that could have been an accident? Unless you are standing right there and see her kill the chick then you really don't have a clue what happened. This seems like an easy fix to me personally so I don't understand what the big deal is: let her hatch the rest of the chicks and then take them away and never let her hatch again

 

[bucky52]

i had a first timer.and she had nine eggs under her.all nine hatched.and when she finally came of her nest i counted eight.i could not find the ninth a few days later i found it.the shell was still attached.and she had moved to the front of her hutch.she did a wonderful job with her remaining eight.i would not cull her.as i'am sure she did not kill this baby on purpose.

 

[3riverschick]

These things happen. I would not blame it on the hen, but on circumstance. I had a 1st time hen hatch 4 eggs this Spring. I had left the cock and her 1/2 sister in the coop with her as they all got along together. Mistake. I forgot to take into account how the mama hen might feel threatened by their mere presence. She dug a deep bowl in the litter in the coop and moved her babies into it to "protect" them from the other birds. In doing do, when she nestled down in the "nest", she tromped on and killed one of the chicks. It was an accident. She proved to be a wonderful mother to the other 3 chicks. She is now my best broody hen.
Best,
Karen in western PA, USA

 

[stuckinthecity]

Why in the world would you kill a chicken for something that could have been an accident? Unless you are standing right there and see her kill the chick then you really don't have a clue what happened. This seems like an easy fix to me personally so I don't understand what the big deal is: let her hatch the rest of the chicks and then take them away and never let her hatch again

IF the hen did kill the chick... accident or not- personally I would cull because 1. she's not laying when she's setting 2. If she's not doing the job right when setting, she's not contributing at all. If she's a pet, like I stated, then I would keep her, but coming from a state of mind that wants to improve my flock, not increase flaws... personally I would cull her.

 

[shellyjimrye]

I have a cat that has had three litters. Her first litter she had laid down on one of the kittens and suffocated it. I was heart broken but I realized that this "accident" was just that. My cat didnt have some mental flaw or a murderous nature, it happens! She has since went on to have two other litters and all kittens survived and thrived. When a mother causes the death of one of its offspring in an ACCIDENT there is no mental or physical flaw in the animal. It is a horrible thing that was not a purposeful act or malicious streak in the animal. I still say that to cull because of this is hasty in my mind. I would watch and see what she does. See how she mothers her other chicks and then go from there. Brand new hens sometimes dont realize where their feet are or that their babies can scoot underfoot. Lets face it, all new mothers can fumble and struggle, even human beings. You dont instantly kill a perfectly healthy and viable animal just because you SUSPECT there MIGHT be a flaw.

 

[stuckinthecity]

Lol. "a purposeful act or malicious streak in the animal" Not once did I ever say that the hen's actions were. That's fine if you think it's the wrong decision, but I was stating my OWN PERSONAL thought on the subject and what I would do. I never said it was the only option or that Qalupalik should cull her. I said I would, IF it was ME. I do agree with you that new mothers can get the hang of it, but in my experience with broody hens, I don't waste time with lousy mothers- NOT saying that this hen is, just that she wouldn't be up to par with what I like to see in broody hens.