why why why did they murder the chick?

[ninny]

My poor hen has been sitting on this egg trying to hatch it. Ive been making sure she eats and everything. The stupid other birds kicked her off her egg and broke her egg and ate the baby!!! She must have fought like crazy to protect her egg. I feel horrible for her . Why would they do this and how can i stop it from happening again? She was nesting on the floor of the coop. Should i have put her in a nest box?

 

[Elite Silkies]

It's better for them to have a nest box, but my 2 broody Silkie hens are on the floor and they have nesting boxes, but will not use them.


They may not have intentionally broke the egg, but rather one may have stepped on it and broke it, and when it broke they just ate it.

 

[ninny]

Quote:
With her sitting on it and growling?

 

[Sooner]

Anytime I have a hen go broody and intend to let her hatch she is moved out of the general population so the other hens can't bother her. I would suggest setting up a dark place you can move the next broody to.

 

[RevaVirginia]

I've had terrible luck moving hens that have gone broody. Hasn't been an issue that I've thoroughly researched here though, caught some advice like move them at the dark hours. As to why they did what they did I could only guess. Anytime I've seen a gal go broody on a ground surface that wasn't inside the coop, I've tried to move them and broke the "broody nature". Looking forward to some insight to your problem though.

 

[Sooner]

I let mine sit for a while before moving them. They tend to get in a trance like state. I do have to mark the eggs so that I know if the others are laying on top of her. Once I think she has settled I move her at night. I get a box with nesting material ready, I bring the box into the coop and remove the eggs from under her and put them in the box, then her. Because it is dark they don't usually try to move.

 

[possumqueen]

Quote:
With her sitting on it and growling?

Sounds like she's low on the totem pole, so the others would be more likely to bully her.

Hierarchy in the flock is usually a good thing, because then everyone knows her place, and everyone takes turns getting enough to eat and all that, but the lower ranks don't get nearly the privilege, and if she decided to set ON the floor in the middle of traffic, the higher ranks wouldn't approve.