Mother pecking at little ones , rejected one

geniva10

Chirping
8 Years
Jun 29, 2011
42
1
79
Listuguj
So here we are where everyone is hatching, the hen decided to reject this one egg whos been hatching and no progress for a full 48hours. when i found it it was frozen, barely breathinf, i tried to put it under her but she made it clear she didnt want it she gave it 5 good pecks and pushed it away. I took him with him rubbed a warm wet clothe on it since the membrane was dry and stuck to the chicks feathers. He eventually hatched out after i helped crack the shell a little(not all )He was very very cold but i warmed him up seems like hes gunna be just fine. But my question is, i went back a couple hours later to check on the hen and the other hatchlings and shes pecking at them, they are underneath her but when they move she pecks at them over and over and over? Should i be worried? (Attached picture the one who she rejected
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Adorable chick!

After the mother's chicks all hatch, she is ready to move on and leaves any eggs that she thinks can't hatch behind. We've had to help chicks before too, and its good you warmed him up.
As for the pecking hen, yes, you should be worried. Mothers only ever should very gently peck at something like a bug on their chicks back, at least before "weaning". I would consider removing the chicks from her, as mother's sometimes attack chicks for seemingly no reason, and can easily kill them. Some mother hens just genetically aren't as fit to raise chicks as others.

Best of luck!
 

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