Advice Chicken tried to kill chicks

[Anonymous]

Hi

My broody Cuckoo Maran has sat on her eggs for 3 weeks, (last year she sat tight twice but didn't hatch any)
Today 3 eggs were pipping, when i checked her an hour ago 2 of the chicks had been pushed out into the open. She had pecked one, & the other one cheeped & she pecked that as well .
I have removed the 2 chicks they are still alive at the moment, one has a small peck mark small amount of blood. The other one has a larger cut just behind the eye, & a bit more blood loss.
I have also removed her other 3 eggs & put them in the incubator. I have also put the 2 pecked chicks in there after i cleaned the wounds with warm water.

I really though she was going to be a good mother as she had sat tight, but this is her first live hatching.
She hadn't been bred i got some hatching eggs from a friend.

Is it normal for the hen to try & kill her chicks when they hatch ??

 

[Anonymous]

I found the answer on another website.


Hens instinctively try to keep their chicks under them for at least 24 hours after hatching and will aggressively peck at them if they try to wander out from underneath the protection of the feathers. Obviously, if the chicks were to wander out, they might very well get taken by a predator or die from the cold. Chicks have no need for food or water for 24-36 hours after hatching, so it is normal for them to want to stay under the hen for that length of time. Some hens, unfortunately, are more aggressive than others at pecking the chicks, in an attempt to keep them underneath their feathers.

 

[Tim]

I have never seen any of my broodies do this, but yes, normally the chicks wil stay under mum for the first 24 hours. You could try popping the chicks back under her at night and keep a close eye in the morning - but it could be a rather early morning for you with it getting light so early :roll:

It might be she's just not cut out to be a mum, She hasn't 'keyed' to the chicks so she sees them as hers and is basically still protecting her eggs. You've only got 24-48 hours from hatching for the chicks / mum to key / bond, otherwise it's over to you to be mum I guess!

Tim

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Tim

Thankyou for your reply & advice, we have put the chicks in a brooder, the 2 that were pecked appear to be getting stronger. I've had another 2 hatch in the incubator & 6 more are pipping.
Hubby doesn't want to take the chance of putting the chicks under her in case she does it again.
I have raised 2 lots this year in the brooder, so thats not a problem.

Thankyou for your time in replying

Sandra