why would a momma hen kill her babies when they hatch

[Dorothy1324]

hey just wondering if anyone has had any experience with this i have let one of out hens sit on eggs twice now and both times the first was only 1 egg and the second 2 she has sat for the whole 3 weeks and when they hatch she kills them i have not whitnessed her killing them but go out to find her to still be sitting on the nest and the babies dead they dont look picked apart just flat and dead i am defenetly not ever going to let her sit on eggs again

 

[MissPrissy]

Some hens are bad mommas and she could have stepped on them. The chicks could have died shortly after hatch or after pipping and the hen is not at fault. It is really hard to say for sure. If the chicks have no peck marks or wounds it is possible she stepped on them. I am leaning toward they just weren't strong enough to survive.

 

[silkiechicken]

I agree with MissPrissy, and agree that not letting this hen hatch again would be a good idea. Some just aren't cut out for the job. Had a hen who loved to sit, but could care less about what hatched and just kept on sitting... she doesn't get to raise families with me anymore.

 

[Dorothy1324]

what could make her chicks as appose to my other hens chicks be week i also just had a momma supprisingly hatch 6 and all are fine and in my newly made chicken mamma tracktor my lovely husband made me.

 

[MissPrissy]

They were too weak to survive her bad care. Also chicks can be genetically weak - has a lot to do with condition of the hen when the eggs were laid, stress factors, genetic factors, etc.

 

[Dorothy1324]

thankyour for the advice just so sad to see and the last time i went out and looked she was still sitting on the nest waiting for babies i guess

 

[MissPrissy]

I agree with silkiechicken you shouldn't let her hatch again.

Sorry this happened to you.