Momma Hen kicking and stepping on her chicks?

[4islandgirls]

I have an easteregger hen that went broody for her second time, her first time she hatched 12 chicks. So far on this batch 7 were hatch and some eggs had cracks on them. Now she stood up and started trying to take a dirt bath in her tiny nesting box she was stepping and kicking on her chicks. We moved her and her chicks to a carrying cage but she abandoned the eggs with cracks on them does that mean they aren't gonna hatch? we put them under one of our other broody hens just in case.

 

[BlueEggBob]

Normally cracks mean the worst. Unless they're on the last day or so, they may die. But check to see if they stink. Leave them if they're close to the last day and don't smell yet.

 

[spikennipper]

I'd imagine the one's with the cracks were pipping so getting ready to hatch if they were all brooded at the same time, you moved them at a critical point so they may or may not hatch, but yes a broody is the best bet now so just wait and see, broody hens are often attacked by red mite as they are vulnerable, this could be why she decided to take a dust bath? have you checked her over for mites as they are bad especially for little chicks, overnight they can make them very anaemic if there are many, check with a torch in the nest box for them, you should see them crawling all over her if you have an infestation.

 

[4islandgirls]

yes i did check for mites, and there are none. One of the eggs i put under the other broody hen has hatched but the broody hen didn't want it, so i put it back with it's mom now that its hatched, she accepted it right away.

 

[BlueEggBob]

yes i did check for mites, and there are none. One of the eggs i put under the other broody hen has hatched but the broody hen didn't want it, so i put it back with it's mom now that its hatched, she accepted it right away.

"One of the eggs i put under the other broody hen has hatched but the broody hen didn't want it" She was probably saying, "Uh, no thanks I have enough to take care of!" Just kidding! I had one of my non-broody hens sneak into the brooder box and steal a newly hatched chick from my Silky! I opened the box and there she was sitting next to my Silky. So I picked her up and found a brand new baby all nice and comfy! I removed the sneaky girl and then tried to put the baby back under the Silky but she didn't want anything to do with it. Remembering what my mom told me about raising chickens, I tried distracting her by keeping a gloved hand right in her face and letting her peck it while I snuck the chick under her wing. It worked! She was so busy pecking me that she went into defense mode and quickly let the baby under her wing for protection! Thanks mom!

 

[4islandgirls]

We Borrowed a Broody hen from a freind and she accepted the chicks right away

 

[donrae]

How long ago did the first chick hatch? They'll only set so long once chicks start hatching, then they want to get up and bathe, eat, etc. Sometimes those close to hatch but not quite there just don't get to make it. Since you've got another broody, sounds like you might be okay.

I had another hen crowd in the broody's box yesterday and break an egg.......so mad! Killed the chick. So, out of 6 eggs I have 2 live chicks, 1 kia, 1 bad egg *stinky!* and two tba. I keep telling myself not to bug her, it's soo hard to keep my hands to myself!

 

[BlueEggBob]

I've found that when the hatch date is approaching it's best to "lock up" the broody hen by herself and then no intruders can molest her or her new babies. My brooder box is just big enough for two nice sized nest and has one opening so I close the opening just enough so no one can squeeze in. I do this by putting a piece of plywood over most of the opening and securing it with a 2x4 that I wedge between the back of the box and the opening. Since the box is big enough for two nests the mama does her business in the other nest area. All my nesting boxes open for easy access from the top so this locks them up tight inside until I let them out. I put a small water bottle in with the mama and give her food everyday until hatch. Make sure the water is kept full. I refill it once a day. Then keep them all inside, well fed and watered, until about a week after hatch, that's when I will open the locked box early in the morning and let mama out to teach her babies about life. The babies will be picked on until they're accepted but they can run to mama pretty fast once they're all a week old. This all requires a bit of luck too. No two coops are the same due to the aggressiveness of different breeds. So always watch the interaction going on for a while. I stand in the coop and watch what transpires. If the population is giving the chicks too much grief or the mama is ignoring her babies then I can remove the chicks to their own pen outside the coop and into my barn. So far all my broody hens have been very protective and no fatalities have occurred. If you don't have the time to watch them then just remove all the new babies to their own pen for a month. Then introduce them back into your flock late one night. In the morning the new babies will be accepted into the flock, with a lesson in pecking order.