Suspicious deaths

[ambidextrous]

Hi everyone,

I have a total of 4 laying hens and only one got broody, sitting on around 25 eggs laid by all of them. Around 18 hatched periodically with two or three hatching in a day and the remaining are still awaited. Initially, 5 chicks were with the mother then all of a sudden two chicks were found dead with head open and brain eaten off

I started collecting chicks to handle them in a homemade brooder. The mother allowed almost all of them except she made a fuss to take a couple of them. Two were born with a breathing problem and died eventually after a lot of efforts to save them.

Another couple chicks died similarly with heads ruptured before collecting them. And two grown ups died due to choking by eating something wrong. One seemed to be premature and died. Now, I have 9 healthy chicks growing and the out of the remaining eggs three hatched and another died by falling prey again.

What might be killing the chicks in this brutal way?

note: My other chicken have no access to brooder hen and chicks and they live in a chicken house with no access other than the door which needs manual effort to open..

 

[sourland]

Where are you located ?

 

[ambidextrous]

Where are you located ?

Saudi Arabia

 

[sourland]

Not certain what predators you may be dealing with there. There is a strong possibility that the setting hen is a poor mother and is killing the chicks. In my experience staggered hatches are generally a disaster. Good luck with the chicks you have saved.

 

[ambidextrous]

Not certain what predators you may be dealing with there. There is a strong possibility that the setting hen is a poor mother and is killing the chicks. In my experience staggered hatches are generally a disaster. Good luck with the chicks you have saved.

I doubt on the mother as the last one was still breathing when I went in there and the mother hen was roaming with one chick and the moment she saw me she went broody again and took her favourite one along.

 

[ambidextrous]

Not certain what predators you may be dealing with there. There is a strong possibility that the setting hen is a poor mother and is killing the chicks. In my experience staggered hatches are generally a disaster. Good luck with the chicks you have saved.

You are right about staggered hatches. I initially faced problem in mingling the new ones with the old ones. So I made another brooder and put the new ones in for week then mix them with the elders.

 

[cmom]

Do you have a camera you can put up to see what is going on? Good luck...

 

[LaFleche]

one got broody, sitting on around 25 eggs laid by all of them.

25 eggs are too many for one broody. 15 would be enough as they need to be covered completely and moved regularly by the broody to ensure a healthy and even development.

 

[ambidextrous]

25 eggs are too many for one broody. 15 would be enough as they need to be covered completely and moved regularly by the broody to ensure a healthy and even development.

Thanks for the info... I will ensure things are more practical for the broody next time...

 

[LaFleche]

Thanks for the info... I will ensure things are more practical for the broody next time...

And to avoid a staggered hatch it is best to first collect the eggs every day and give her only those that are fresh (living in Saudi Arabia up to 7 days), clean and of good shape with a smooth eggshell, all at the same time.