What to do next time around with eggs...

[kkdags]

So i have read some i.formation but looking for some advice. I'm new to raising chicks. I have a hen who is assumed to be a mixed game breed she layed eggs and hatched 2 baby chicks on March 19 and is very protective if them(. Our neiighbors barred rock rooster started coming over and we ended up with 14 eggs..2 eggs were broke early and 2 more she kicked out of the nest when she started to roost so we now had 10 eggs. So after 16 days roosting my fiance came home to find 3 dead baby chicks outside the chickens pen. She was still roosting and no signs of harm to the babies so we left her alone. I came home i saw her fidgiting and noticed she had 2 more babies that were laying on the ground and she was still sitting on the nest. So after a few minutes i came out to start cleaning things up a little and saw there was another baby she was dragging out of the nest and pecking it fiercly she had kicked 2 eggs out of the nest and wanted nothing to do with them. She then went back to the nest sat down and about minutes later i heard chirping she was dragging another chick and threw it against the chicken coop and then ran over and pecked its head. I yelled she ran and i was able to get in the the chicken yard. All babies had peck hes on them and were dead so i picked up all the dead babies and the two eggs she kicked out. Now 5 hours later my dog heard chirping i went to find the two kicked out eggs one completely hatched and the other starting. So i brought them in and now 4 days later we have one very happy friendly chick (the egg didnt make it). So now im curious is this a regular thing she will do and do i need to remove eggs or is this because she still tries to mother the other 2 chicks she already has...here is BC (bag chick)

 

[sumi]

So sorry to hear about your experience. That hen is a BAD mother and I won't let her brood eggs again, if I were you. That is unusual and unacceptable behaviour. Good luck with the surviving chick!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

x2, sorry about the bad experience. I wouldn't say her behavior is normal, but its not unheard of.
I've never had a homicidal broody, but my neighbor did. The first time she went broody, she did an absolutely wonderful job incubating her eggs. Then, she killed each and every chick as it hatched. My neighbor thought it was some first timer jitters and allowed her to try again the next time she went broody. She did the exact same thing, but my neighbor was ready this time. After she found the first dead baby, she watched her like a hawk and removed the chicks to a brooder as they hatched. When hatching was finished, she immediately culled her to the stew pot.

I agree that you probably shouldn't let her have another go. Usually their first time sets the tone for all of their subsequent attempts. I've had a few that were super ditzy on their first attempt and have been great with every other hatch. If I ever had a chick killing broody, she'd be culled immediately.

So sorry for your loss

 

[kkdags]

Thank you. Im not gona let her sit on any more eggs however she has amazing egg production and desnt mind when i take her eggs so im gonna see if i can i can just let her lay eggs and then we will just pull them not that chicken stew doesnt sound good but my fiance would have a fit love him but he doesnt understand the ways of farming yet. Shes a great gaurd bird too so im gonna wait before chicken dinner.