my hen has attacked babies before, expecting her to hatch some in a few days, what to do???

[jed2012]

as the title indicates, I have a problem with my broody Buff Orpington hen attack ANY living thing under her, partially in an egg, hatched, etc. I'm worried she will attack the chicks she is about to hatch any day now. has anyone else had this problem?
btw, she's a first time mom. the first incident was with ducks, I managed to save an injured duckling. second incident was when I got silkie chicks and tried to put them under her during the day while she saw me put them under her (my fault and she didn't kill any). last, most recent incident was when I put an egg under her that was about to hatch the next day or so. I put it under her at sundown behind her, and next morning, she was still sitting on it, I showed her "her" chick, and she started puffing up, growling, etc. at the chick and pecked it where the pip hole was. will she do OK with these maybe? anyone?

 

[happyhens1972]

First of all, is she definately broody? If she hasn't decided, completely of her own accord, to sit on eggs/ a nest and remain there, guarding them protectively and attacking you as you approach, then she isn't actually a committed broody. I would suggest she has sat firmly on eggs or dummy eggs for at least two full weeks (obviously with food and poop breaks but always with a committed return to the job) before trying to get her to actually hatch something. Are these eggs under her, ones that she has sat full term for?

If so, this should be a different scenario to your previous attempts as it will be more natural than just having something shoved under her 24 hours before it's due....potentially meaning she has missed out on a lot of the pre-hatch bonding of peeping and calling and feeling the movement of the chick inside the egg.

I would certainly ensure that you are in close proximity when your latest hatch occurs to ensure the chicks are safe and if she attacks these, they will need to be removed immediately and otherwise reared in a brooder or with another willing hen and then she needs to be retired from motherhood maybe?

 

[jed2012]

she has sat on these eggs the whole time. she's been broody since December. I guess she just needed to bond.

 

[happyhens1972]

Then I would say you have a far better chance of success this time round....the bonding process is incredibly important if you have a particularly sensitive broody. Some are so daft, I swear you could put a baby crocodile under them and they'd love it but some are more sensitive to what they have under them and how long it's been there. They are programmed to sit for three weeks and if it's all over too soon, they can get a bit gnarly about it!

Good luck with this hatch and let us know how it goes x

 

[jed2012]

alright and thank you very much