broody maran

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Hi.
I have a bit of a mixture of hens - 3 Arucana bantams, a Welsummer and 2 marans - 1 cuckoo and the other copper black - but probably not the best bred as eggs not VERY dark and one or 2 other imperfections (think the breeder may have seen me coming!) :?
Anyway, the cuckoo maran went broody and we decided to let her have a go at hatching out some eggs. She was a great sitter, but then when they hatched she killed them all. :( They were 5 bantam eggs she sat on. Is this a common problem with marans? Looking on the internet seems to give me mixed info re this. :?: The copper black one has now gone broody and I don't know whether I should try and let her sit. Do you think it is a maran thing, or just an individual hen thing? Would it make a difference if the eggs were maran?
Would really value your advice re this.
Many thanks
Louisa
 
Hi Louisa,

So sorry to hear about your chicks.
I don't know much about marans, but usually a broody hen will sit on any eggs - bantam, duck, even goose, and rear them too.
If this was her first time sitting on eggs, it could possibly be a personality trait. Alternatively could she have been frightened by something or disturbed?
This strange behaviour is not something I've ever experienced in hens, but I wouldn't let it put you off trying again.
I hope someone can shed some more light on this.
Good luck for next time.
 
Thankyou - the one that is broody now is a different one to the 'bad mother' hen. She is definately fiercely broody - even went for the dog and gave him quite a fright! I had heard that broody hens will usually hatch out any eggs - ducks / hens etc. I'll see if anyone knows of any particular maran traits which make it look like a high risk before I try again. :)
 
Hello, sometimes, at their first attempt, they can crush the chicks- they tend to sit too tight on hatching and crush them- it is not the maran :) it is just a new mum syndrome. I would try again, next time the cuckoo goes broody she should be better at hatching.
regards, David :)
 
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