What the heck. My hen killed her chick

[wrathsfarm]

Hard decision to make... Do you say no more letting her sit on eggs? Or do you give her another chance when she's older I hope it's better next time?
Just went thru this with 2 separate broodys killing their first born. Both first time broodys.
Luckily I had other broodys hatching I could get the eggs under. I may try them again just to say.... I tried.

Wish you the best with your hatch.

 

[Maka]

Hard decision to make... Do you say no more letting her sit on eggs? Or do you give her another chance when she's older I hope it's better next time?
Just went thru this with 2 separate broodys killing their first born. Both first time broodys.
Luckily I had other broodys hatching I could get the eggs under. I may try them again just to say.... I tried.

Wish you the best with your hatch.

This is her first year laying. And second time broody. So I thought I would give it a shot on this second round because I was thinking she really wanted to be a mom. I suppose not.

I would hate for this to happen again. So I think this is it. She sat back on her nest with no eggs on it. I feel so bad I did this to her. But I just can’t have a healthy little chick killed like that.

 

[wrathsfarm]

This is her first year laying. And second time broody. So I thought I would give it a shot on this second round because I was thinking she really wanted to be a mom. I suppose not.

I would hate for this to happen again. So I think this is it. She sat back on her nest with no eggs on it. I feel so bad I did this to her. But I just can’t have a healthy little chick killed like that.

Something I noticed that caught my attention just before hatch...
Every broody I've had starts soft clucking at her eggs just before hatch. She hears them (cheep-cheeping).

Both of these 2 didn't respond at all. It clicked that something was off, but didn't register until it was too late.

Are you planning to break her broodiness?
Here's an excellent broody breaker article if you need it...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/broody-breaking-ala-aart.77915/

 

[LaFleche]

This is her first year laying. And second time broody. So I thought I would give it a shot on this second round because I was thinking she really wanted to be a mom. I suppose not.

I would hate for this to happen again. So I think this is it. She sat back on her nest with no eggs on it. I feel so bad I did this to her. But I just can’t have a healthy little chick killed like that.

She might have still been in nest protecting mode and reacted accordingly when feeling something moving underneath her.

Sometimes first time broodies take longer to make connection with their chicks and fail to switch from nest/egg protecting mode to mothering the hatching chicks.
This switch will usually be initiated by the chicks peeping frequently while still inside the eggshell thus letting the broody know that they are about to make an appearance.
Usually, the broody hen will react by clucking to the chirping chicks and thus encouraging them on day 19 or 20 of incubation and they will keep up their communication throughout the entire hatch.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Both of these 2 didn't respond at all. It clicked that something was off, but didn't register until it was too late

Most of my birds don't talk to their eggs from what I've seen when with them.

 

[Maka]

Something I noticed that caught my attention just before hatch...
Every broody I've had starts soft clucking at her eggs just before hatch. She hears them (cheep-cheeping).

Both of these 2 didn't respond at all. It clicked that something was off, but didn't register until it was too late.

Are you planning to break her broodiness?
Here's an excellent broody breaker article if you need it...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/broody-breaking-ala-aart.77915/

You know, she wasn’t responding to her chicks. So there was a disconnect. I think since this is her first hatch I’m not opposed to trying again. But not until later. I will pull the eggs if she is not responsive.

 

[Maka]

I actually had a thought. And I hope this is what happened… maybe the chick passed after hatching? And she ate it? is that a possibility?

 

[Nomadicus]

I actually had a thought. And I hope this is what happened… maybe the chick passed after hatching? And she ate it? is that a possibility?

Probably not. I'd had a favorite pet hen kill her first born and I incubated her eggs from their. Every time I tried to get her to take a chick while she was on the eggs she tried to immediately kill it. She was a very young mom. Less than a year old. I lost her before I could give her a second chance but I've got 2 of her daughters that I will let go broody and watch them very close. They are broody by nature with their breeding. I think as they mature more they stand a chance of making a better mother.

 

[Maka]

Probably not. I'd had a favorite pet hen kill her first born and I incubated her eggs from their. Every time I tried to get her to take a chick while she was on the eggs she tried to immediately kill it. She was a very young mom. Less than a year old. I lost her before I could give her a second chance but I've got 2 of her daughters that I will let go broody and watch them very close. They are broody by nature with their breeding. I think as they mature more they stand a chance of making a better mother.

Well I guess I will wait then! I seriously am so sad. But I guess it’s my fault for assuming she is going to just get it right off the bat.

 

[Nomadicus]

Well I guess I will wait then! I seriously am so sad. But I guess it’s my fault for assuming she is going to just get it right off the bat.

What is her breeding? That may have a little to do with it for the first try.