Momma's leaving chicks to die

[b0red2tearz]

We have several broody hens on several piles of eggs. A few of the chicks have hatched this week, but the mommas are ignoring them or pushing them out of the nesting box. At this point should we just take all the eggs and put them in our incubator or will the momma hens figure out that they need to take care of the hatchlings? We have a brooder box and everything we need to do this on our own. We were just trying to do it the natural way. Any advice is welcomed. TIA!

 

[Joannemn21]

I’m super new at this, but I would leave the eggs and bring the chicks inside. Maybe mama is a little too broody and doesn’t want to leave her eggs to care for the littles.

 

[b0red2tearz]

I’m super new at this, but I would leave the eggs and bring the chicks inside. Maybe mama is a little too broody and doesn’t want to leave her eggs to care for the littles.

We've had 4 die this week, but I set up our incubator and brood box. We brought in a newly hatched chick this afternoon. Hopefully it will make it.

 

[Joannemn21]

We've had 4 die this week, but I set up our incubator and brood box. We brought in a newly hatched chick this afternoon. Hopefully it will make it.

I am so sorry to hear that.
Will there be more? They need a community.

 

[SpicyDill]

I had two broodies give up on their chicks after hatching them last year. Thankfully, a hen who wasn't broody in the least took it upon herself to mother them and I didn't have to set up a brooder.

I hope your little one does okay!

 

[HollyBerrie]

Some first time mothers don't know what to do when the first chicks hatch. I've had broodies that were wonderful, and others that it seemed as though the chicks were "invaders" to their brooding space. Even after removing the surviving chicks, these hens continued their broodiness and set, on nothing.

 

[b0red2tearz]

I am so sorry to hear that.
Will there be more? They need a community.

Another one hatched yesterday, so there are 2 chicks. We brought them inside and in to our brooder. Also have 5 eggs that, through candling, appear near ready to hatch. So, we'll be keeping an eye for those chicks to put in with the other 2.

 

[sassychickens76]

How is it now? How many chicks did you end up with? Pics?

 

[b0red2tearz]

How is it now? How many chicks did you end up with? Pics?

We put 8 eggs in the incubator and set it up in lock down mode. All 8 hatched over a period of 13 days. We'd leave a chick in the incubator for 36 hours after hatching to help move the eggs around and I read the chirping helps with hatching. We have them in our garage brooder right now, but plan on putting them in the coop brooder this weekend.

 

[LaFleche]

All 8 hatched over a period of 13 days.

This might be the reason it went wrong in the first place: staggered hatch which means eggs were added by other hens after the incubation began. And that you did not separate each broody from the others.

Next time have the broody/broodies all separated from each other and the rest of the flock. Then give them the eggs all on the same day. You can collect eggs beforehand and make sure, they are fresh by candling, then mark them with an x so you will be able to notice if any other hen might have added to the clutch while the broody was off the nest to eat, drink and relieve herself.

In doing so, the chicks will all hatch at the same time and the broody will not be disturbed by other hens or broodies.