Mama squished baby!

[ten chicks]

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?

This just happens,some hens do not make good mothers. I would be cautious in letting her hatch eggs again. Unfortunate that your other broody had her chicks weeks ago,otherwise she might have accepted these ones,she still might. There is no reason to cull her(reading other posts)this does happen very frequently with chickens. Chicks death may have been an accident. Is she a young hen,she could be confused,not sure what she should do. Just keep an eye on her,that is all you can do right now. Or if possible you could take them from her after they hatch,put them in a brooder. If she kills more,than you know she should not be allowed to hatch eggs again. I know this doesn't help as you are worried about other chicks. She will just be a good egg layer,not a good mommy.

 

[ECiesielczyk]

As always, it is up to you but it could have been an accident and don't forgot any other factors. It might have died and once that happens, she could have stepped on it. You could have startled her and she shifted and crushed the chick. Whatever the reason was, see how she does with the rest. If she was intentially trying to kill the chick, she would have pecked it or booted it ouf the nest. I could be wrong but what an amazing hen to have the persision to step directly onto a baby chick's neck to kill it. The others who would cull it, that is their choice. Food or pets, it all comes down to how you handle things on your property. I have a few hens that I am super attached to and I tend to lean a little more towards the pet side but that doesn't mean I raise chickens as pets. I raise them for tick control and eggs.

If it were me, I would leave her to hatch the rest, leave her alone, without the rest of the flock to mess with her and see what happens. It would suck for anything to happen to your other ones but if you check around, hens get rid of the weak chicks and can be great mothers to others. See how it goes in the morning. If she still isn't taking to it, once they have hatched bring them in the house with a heat lamp. Good luck!

 

[Qalupalik]

Well today she seemed to have caught onto the idea a bit more. She was actually talking to her babies instead of staring ahead in fright/confusion.

I have no doubt it was an accident, but unless there is a dramatic change in her behaviour/intelligence, I most likely won't use her again. I'll stick to Sophia's mad mothering skills.

So no more squished souls, thank goodness, though the last one to hatch is likely to pass away, as it had huge difficulties hatching and has some sort of stuff hanging from its abdomen, could be intestines? Anyway, I guess 10/12 is not too bad considering my state of mind last night in absolute fear of her squishing the rest, or having a panic attack and pecking them all to death. Ugh, I'm not good at handling this purposeless death thing.

Thank you everyone for your responses! I do appreciate everyone's opinions and advice.

 

[ten chicks]

Well today she seemed to have caught onto the idea a bit more. She was actually talking to her babies instead of staring ahead in fright/confusion.

I have no doubt it was an accident, but unless there is a dramatic change in her behaviour/intelligence, I most likely won't use her again. I'll stick to Sophia's mad mothering skills.

So no more squished souls, thank goodness, though the last one to hatch is likely to pass away, as it had huge difficulties hatching and has some sort of stuff hanging from its abdomen, could be intestines? Anyway, I guess 10/12 is not too bad considering my state of mind last night in absolute fear of her squishing the rest, or having a panic attack and pecking them all to death. Ugh, I'm not good at handling this purposeless death thing.

Thank you everyone for your responses! I do appreciate everyone's opinions and advice.

Glad mommy skills have kicked in. Chicks death was clearly an accident,poor girl can you imagine how scared/confused she was when chicks started hatching out of shells? One minute she is sitting on eggs,next something is coming out of them. Fist time mom confusion.

 

[Qalupalik]

She's now gone back to being useless. I found her sitting on freshly-laid eggs this morning with her babies all running around with the rest of the flock.

 

[SobbaChickens]

She's now gone back to being useless. I found her sitting on freshly-laid eggs this morning with her babies all running around with the rest of the flock.

I'd personally make a brooder for the chicks and take them from her. Just easier. Plus if you have them inside you can play and bond

 

[stuckinthecity]

Oops, I gave a thumbs up before I continued reading! I hope she takes interest in her chicks again!

 

[jaywin]

Hi
This year I’ve had seven of my one year old hens go broody and thought I’d let them each have a try with a few eggs. One got off and stayed off too often so she went to broody jail to take her off. One sat for full 21 days hatched one chick and attacked it - I had a feeling she may be odd so was there, took it off her and gave to another that had just hatched and was doing a good job, she took it no problems. So those two are on the list of never let brood again. 3 have chicks and are doing a great job. Most one has is four. Another has just hatched today, she an Australorp and sadly hatched 3 but one was dead this morning, no idea why and then I’ve just found another squashed under her big leg! They are a big bird. Anyway I’m going to believe the chick died and so she then didn’t worry about where it was as watching her with the other she seems well aware of where it is and is being careful. She is making all the right noises and elevates her body to check it every now and then without moving her feet.
the last in has just gone broody so I’m collecting fertile eggs to go under her.
I would say I’ve had more eggs develop than in the incubator but about the same actual hatch rate.
it is disappointing to only get one chick, as my Australorp now has but she will learn with this one I’m sure. I went into it knowing this may happen but it is still sad if a chick dies.
breed doesn’t seem to matter although two are Orpington cross Silkie I bought to be broodys and they are doing a fab job, but the others are Australorp and Olive Egger and she is fab, she’s the one who adopted the chick from the hen who attacked it, which was a Barnevelder.
the latest to go broody is another of my Barnevelders but as I say I’m giving her a go and will put just four eggs under her and then another two in the bator to see what the fertility is. If all are fertile and develop and then hatch, all well and good, she’s big enough for six but this way she has more of a chance of getting some chicks, which is their ultimate aim and therefore their reward.
Just out of interest has anyone had a Barnevelder that has been a good mama?

 

[Coops Dad]

No need to cull her; she'll start laying again and earning her keep. Just take her off the list of potential chicken moms and break her broodiness if it comes up again.