Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[K Epp]

Just when I said I was taking a break from incubating I have a broody. I've lost count, but I think she is #10. I don't know what she is sitting on, but I'm going to give her EE eggs I've gathered the last couple of days.

We've been getting thunderstorms and flash flooding. Today has been really bad. I found four dead chicks. I got drownd yesterday rounding them up and putting them in their perspective houses. The storms came in today while I was at work. :-(

 

[Sydney Acres]

Please help. I had an overzealous broody that I found sitting on 32 eggs. I split the clutch, leaving 12 with the broody and putting the other 20 in the incubator. Three hatched from the broody three days ago. Two hatched in the incubator and I put those two with mom last night. She seemed to take to them right away. Ask of then were happy this morning. I opened the door to the coop portion of the chicken tractor so mom could have fresh air and grass. I just went our to check on them and one of the incubator chicks had been pecked to death. I'm just shocked. Do you think Mama Goldie did it? The run portion of the tractor is enclosed in chicken wire. I didn't think any of the other birds could get at them. Do you think one of my other birds could have done it or should I take the remaining for chicks from Mama? Anyone have experience with something like this?

Wow, that's a hard decision. Since you're not 100% positive who attacked the chick, you really can't be certain what needs to be done to protect the remaining chicks.

We always hate to blame the mama hen, especially if there's any other possible culprit, but the reality is that some mamas do kill their chicks. A friend of mine had a beautiful Lavender Orpington that brooded 8 eggs perfectly. All was wonderful at hatch. Eight to 12 hours after the last chick hatched Denise went out to find the hen pecking at chick #4. Before Denise could do anything, the hen picked up the injured chick by the thigh, shook it violently, and started gulping it down. Denise pulled the dead chick out of the hen's mouth, then grabbed the four terrified chicks that were running around the nest screaming and put them in a box. She looked and looked for the other 3 chicks but couldn't find them, and then she looked at the very distended crop of the hen. She caught the hen and could feel the remains of chicks in her crop. Needless to say, she culled the hen and hand raised the remaining chicks, but never bred them in case there was a genetic problem.

This is a very rare scenario, but it happens in all species. Many veterinary hospitals make you sign a waiver if you want the puppies/kittens placed back with their mother after a c-section, just because clients have sued hospitals after mothers have killed and eaten their offspring. In nature, such a behavior does not successfully propagate, but when we hand raise babies and then return them to the breeding pool, unfortunately such behaviors can continue (assuming that there's a genetic basis, which there may or may not be in most cases).

So, what to do in this situation? You've really only got three choices:

1) You can hope that mama hen didn't do it and add something to the existing setup to prevent any possible access to the chicks from the other birds. If another chick is killed when mama is the only one with access, then she's the one doing it and you have to separate them. The problem with this is that you risk that another, or possibly all, chick(s) will be injured or killed, and that risk is quite high if mama killed the first one.

2) You can eliminate the potential for mama to kill any other chick by removing them from her completely and brooding them yourself.

3) You can hope that mama hen didn't do it, but try to decrease the risk of her doing it again just in case she is the guilty party. There's still a big risk here, but maybe (only maybe) not quite as big as with option #1. Animals are more likely to kill their young when they're stressed or overwhelmed or feel the need to defend themselves (or their babies). Mama may feel safer if she had some privacy with her chicks, far away from the coop. Sometimes animals that get defensive or aggressive will accidentally redirect their attack onto the wrong victim. Years ago my husband's favorite cat got into a fight with a neighbor's cat. It was an all out mutual attack, not just the usual posturing with minimal contact. My husband ran to the fight and grabbed his baby out of the fray. The other cat ran off, but his cat kept attacking him with everything it had. That's completely normal. The cat hadn't had time to mentally process who was who, and in the fog of self-defense just redirected the aggression to who ever was in the way. (My poor husband really got his feelings hurt though!) So it is possible that mama was in the midst of attacking another bird (through the wire) that she perceived as a threat to her chicks, a chick accidentally got in the way, and she couldn't mentally process that she was now attacking her chick instead of the original threat, Still not a desirable characteristic in a broody, but at least an alternate explanation to the infanticide shown by my friend's Lavender Orpington, If you do decide to give mama another chance in a more private situation, you might provide small hide areas -- places where the small chicks can get into but the hen won't fit, essentially the same principle as a creep feeder, but for escape instead of feeding. The chicks may not understand the need to escape if mom goes haywire again, but at least if they're running around they may end up in safe areas.

Please post again with an update. Good luck

 

[Sydney Acres]

I just feel absolutely sick over this. That was the prettiest chick.

It was the light colored chick RIGHT NEXT to Momma in this picture. I don't think she did it. I suspect the turkey.

If a turkey had access that's a good possibility. They can be quite grabby, especially when they're young, and could easily kill a chick accidentally. When my turkeys were 5-8 months old I had bruises and minor wounds all over me. They weren't trying to be aggressive, but they're just mouthy and grabby at that age. They're almost 12 months old now and have been over it for months, but I still wouldn't let a tiny chick near one. They're just so curious, very strong, and use their mouths like hands.

I'm so sorry about that cute little chick. It was gorgeous, with the same cinnamon color as the hen. Hopefully everything will go well for you and the other chicks after this.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Just when I said I was taking a break from incubating I have a broody. I've lost count, but I think she is #10. I don't know what she is sitting on, but I'm going to give her EE eggs I've gathered the last couple of days.

We've been getting thunderstorms and flash flooding. Today has been really bad. I found four dead chicks. I got drownd yesterday rounding them up and putting them in their perspective houses. The storms came in today while I was at work. :-(

Oh, you little hatchoholic, I knew you weren't done this early in the summer!! I bet you haven't even done the final cleaning and boxed up your incubator for the season yet.

Those GA storms can be brutal! Hopefully it will clear soon and all the rest your birds and chicks will be safe. So sorry about the four little ones that drowned.

 

[poodlechicks]

Generally speaking (I think I posted this a few days ago) feather footed is a dominant trait and will show up in your crosses with feathered feet.  Anyway, the answer is yes, a cochin cross would almost always have feathered feet.  There are a few exceptions, but they are pretty rare.  It can take many generations to breed out feathered feet and even then some of the chicks will show up with light feathering on their feet.

As far as late hatches under a broody, first off, I would wait until she leaves the nest (usually 2-3 days after the last one hatches).  You can candle at that point to see if any of the eggs are viable and need to go into the incubator if you have one.  Usually if she can feel movement from the eggs, she will stay on them depending on how many chicks she has under her at the time.  Most of the time though, the chick's movement, noise and activity make it difficult for her to know that there are more to hatch.  I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but if it is warm and humid the eggs will survive for a little while without mom on top of them until you can get them into an incubator....even a homemade one works.  Someone on one of my other threads just hatched 4 out of 6 with a heating pad because momma left the nest with her two chicks.

I could finally take a good look at the chicks this afternoon. One of them does have feathered legs. They are so pretty and active.
I placed the waterer right in front of Summer so she would peck at it and entice the chicks to do the same. They tried the water. Then I put a grape on the chick feeder to attract Summer and it also worked. The chicks saw her pecking and starter pecking at the food. Now I feel better knowing the chicks can get to food and water. Let's see if more hatch tomorrow. Thanks for the link. It is very useful. And for the advice!

 

[poodlechicks]

...

Do you live near a nuclear power plant or what?

 

[poodlechicks]

S

I just feel absolutely sick over this. That was the prettiest chick.

It was the light colored chick RIGHT NEXT to Momma in this picture. I don't think she did it. I suspect the turkey.

So sorry about your chick!

 

[poodlechicks]

I tried to upload a picture of the chicks, but can't see them here. I'll try again later.

 

[poodlechicks]

My broody butt, Janet, is doing an awesome job. It's day 20, and the phoenix eggs i have under her are pipping and peeping. She is so dedicated that she has gone pale. I have food and water 2 inches from her face, but she turns her beak at it. I cooked her some rice, grits, and eggs...hopefully she will eat some of it. Congrats to all who are hatching!

I know how it goes. Though Summer is now eating on her own, I had to feed her and give water via syringe for the longest time. Even if food and water were right in front of her face. I guess sometimes broodys don't take care of themselves. I'm glad I found this thread, b/c the books I read all said the hen would come around and take care of herself. If I had listened to the books, Summer would be dead by now.

Best of luck w/ your hatch.

 

[SchellyMc]

I have been searching for this but I may not be asking the question right. I have a broody sitting on eggs only day 2 now. I also have 2 / 2 week old chicks and 2 / 4ish week old chicks. So when the babies hatch will be 5 and 7 weeks. Is there a possibility that I will be able to sneak the older chicks in with the new chicks and mom?