mamma hen attacked hatchling?

[dirtfishing1]

Today my 9 eggs under a broody started hatching.
I was watching her and she was desturbed by a new chcik under her that had just hatched and she started to peck at it very hard, she caused a little blood on head of the chick. I removed mamma 2a seperate pen adn put a heat lamp on the rest of the brood. I have had 4 out of 9 hatch and one has pipped. The chick is doing well so far but I hope it makes it.

Is this a common occurance?

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi!
I don't think it's *common*, but it has happened often here. To the point the hens have killed all the chicks as they hatched and threw them out of the nest box.

If you put the unhatched eggs under a heat lamp, you need to watch they don't dry out. Maybe put them on a damp towel for humidity.

Good luck with the rest of them and good save on the chicks.

Lisa

 

[chickiepoo]

I had a hen (the first one to go broody for me when I first started) who hatched five chicks and then killed one a day until I got rid of her. The first one, I didn't see happen, so I thought there was something wrong with the chick. The second one, my son noticed was limping and without looking at it I told him to take it closer to the mama; she jumped on it and pecked it hard. I brought that one inside but it died before morning. Then one just disappeared. She skipped one day, so I let her alone. Funny thing was, she wouldn't let me near her or the healthy chicks to take them away. I know more now and maybe could have managed better if I had had more experience. But when I went out to feed up and she had killed the little black (first to hatch) .....last straw.
Sorry this happen to you. Good luck with the others. I agree with Dipsy about the humidity. Would putting slightly damp hay or straw under them work? Might take longer to dry and provide humidity for a longer period of time. I don't know.

 

[dirtfishing1]

Thanks for the suppport.
I had 4 of nine hatch on thier own and I had 2 that had pipped but were not hatching, I found that the eggs were indeed to dry and the chicks could not get out. I let them go till this morning and then helped them out of thier shells.
6 of the nine are now doing well, eating and drinking.
The other three did not make it. I do not think they were fertile or growing. Hope the new arrivals make it. I was not prepared for this happenstance. But I have done the best I can given the situation.

Thanks again.

Dave