What happened to these babies? *Graphic pics

[kemclaughlin]

I am not entirely certain where this should be posted, so I started here. One of my broodies hatched three healthy, fiesty babies and they were fine this morning. We went out there this evening to move them to their own little pen and one of the babies had skin missing from it's face. I know that another hen is the likely culprit, and mama broody was still sitting on them. We found one of the babies dead in a different box with very similar, though more severe injuries. I have attached pictures.

My questions are: Was it likely that another hen did this while laying today? I feel so sad about this. If mama is still sitting on the other one and it looks healthy, will it probably be okay? Will mama kill it if she sees the red skin? We have their pen in a lower light area, I am hoping that she won't notice until it starts to heal. The baby doesn't seem to be in any pain at all.

This is the chick at about noon, she was fine and hopping around. They look to be about a day old.



We went out there to move the mama and babies at about 9pm.

 

[Eggcessive]

If the broody was still sitting on other eggs that haven't yet hatched, it may have been other hens, but occasionally a broody will peck her own chicks. One of the dangers when they are sitting on eggs, is that the chicks will sometimes get out of the nest, and that is when they are attacked because the broody won't leave her eggs. I usually put up some plastic poultry netting or other material to prevent the chicks from getting out of the nest box, until I take away any unhatched eggs after 3 days. When the eggs are gone, she will usually get up and defend her chicks as she ventures out for food and teaching them the ropes. BluKote will disguise the red wounds (be careful to shield eyes from spray.) Watch the broody to see if she pecks them--and remove them to a brooder if you see that. Sorry for your loss.

 

[kemclaughlin]

Thank you so much for the advice. Since the chick was in the next box over, that is probably what happened. I thought they would be okay to stay in the nesting box until evening, but obviously not. I was worried she would fight us if I tried to move her during the day. Now I know and will do it better next time. We are going to look into different options for nesting boxes so that this doesn't happen again.