Horrific Find...Is This Normal?!?

[BeautifulCreatures]

Today while outside I noticed my Royal Palm hen running around with something odd in her mouth...it turned out to be a dead chick! I was horrified and ran over to the nest to find the tom pecking away at a 2nd chick! I started yelling at him and immediately ran into the pen and took the chick, which was thankfully still alive but injured. I took the remaining eggs from the hen and put them in the incubator to avoid this happening again!
My question is- IS THIS NORMAL???
This tom has been a bit of a problem and I have thought about harvesting him and starting with another but have resisted because he seems to know his primary job well but I cannot handle this behavior! My poor girl sat those eggs even in the absolute worst weather and now this! I am so heartsick.
Please tell me if this is normal!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

YES! Toms can be evil, and some will kill chicks

 

[chickencheeper]

Toms should not be anywhere near poults. This is normal. The hen may have had a part but most likely she just grabbed the chick do to bloodlust and she just got caught up in the action

 

[Abriana]

Aw I’m sorry birds are mean sometimes

 

[RodNTN]

So sorry about this Glad you got the rest away

 

[R2elk]

Today while outside I noticed my Royal Palm hen running around with something odd in her mouth...it turned out to be a dead chick! I was horrified and ran over to the nest to find the tom pecking away at a 2nd chick! I started yelling at him and immediately ran into the pen and took the chick, which was thankfully still alive but injured. I took the remaining eggs from the hen and put them in the incubator to avoid this happening again!
My question is- IS THIS NORMAL???
This tom has been a bit of a problem and I have thought about harvesting him and starting with another but have resisted because he seems to know his primary job well but I cannot handle this behavior! My poor girl sat those eggs even in the absolute worst weather and now this! I am so heartsick.
Please tell me if this is normal!

It is rarely a good idea to allow a tom access to a hen's nest. Very often the toms take the hen laying on the nest as an invitation to breed. The outcome from the unwelcome attempts at mating can be as simple as broken eggs, an injured hen or even a dead hen if the wound is severe enough.

Allowing toms access to newly hatched poults can go either way. Some toms act like a devoted parent and others will immediately kill the poults. Some of the good parenting toms can be great right up to the day they turn and begin killing the poults while others remain good parents. There is no way to predict how a tom will behave or when or if he will go bad.

Sorry for your misfortune.