My hen recently hatched a chick on a at least 5 foot tall shelf she stayed up there for about two days then they jumped off (about ten eggs still up there) and walked,fed,etc.Then I was watching them and she continuesly pecking him. So I snatched the chick and brought it in side.The next day she hatched another one and abandoned that one.there doing fine right now.But she hatched another one, and cared for it for three days.Then abandoned it. Why is she doing this?
Some hens just aren't good moms. I say just take her chicks from her and let that be that. Raise them as your own and only use this girl as a brooder if you need eggs hatched.
I'm thinkin' it's kinda tough to take care of a chick/s and then go back to hatchin' eggs up on a five foot shelf. She might be doing a better job if the eggs were more easily accessable to her AND the chicks. She's probably feeling pulled in two directions. It's still cool that she is at least attempting to do both.
Is there a way to lower her nest? I would put it dwon on the floor...maybe in a small pen somewhere....see how she does with the rest of them. Make sure she has food and water in there as well!
There is no way to move the nest but I can move the eggs.And she stayed off the eggs for two days are they ok?
Well we had a hen that hatched around 10 chicks and when they hatched she went bezerk. She killed one and tore the wing off another.
Oh, that's terrible. I did not know they would do that. Maybe we should call cps (chicken protective services) on her. That is just wrong.