Broody trying to kill babies!!

[xGosipGirlx]

I am so disappointed in my broody, she is a prairie bluebell. She is about 9 months and went broody three weeks ago. I was SO excited! I have never had a broody hen before! in those three weeks she did absolutely amazing, got off the nest in the morning and afternoon but went right back her clutch of 5 eggs after eating, drinking, and dust bathing. but today (hatch day) I got overly excited and got SIX () chicks to add to her clutch. So now she would’ve had 11 chicks, yes I know a lot but she’s a pretty big hen!! so I went into the coop and shut all the other chickens out into the run. I put the box near her and she started clucking!! But since my chickens have nesting boxes high up I put her right next to the nesting box on the floor. I got a chick and put her right next to my hen and my hen did absolutely nothing. I was confused, her clucking stopped. I put two chicks in the nesting box and she walked away and jumped up back to the nesting boxes but since hers was empty (all her eggs were on the nesting box on the floor) she went and sat on the eggs that had been laid that day!! I was so shocked!! I put her in the original nesting box and put a chick next to her thinking maybe she just wanted to be in the spot she picked out? nope. She went and pecked the chick!! hard!! I took her eggs away and have them in the incubator. She was trying to eat the egg that was hatching. So far one is hatching but the others are moving around. So disappointed. she sat for three weeks for nothing, basically starving herself. Now I have to break her broodyness, and raise chicks that I did not account for. Any tips for anything?

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

I am so disappointed in my broody, she is a prairie bluebell. She is about 9 months and went broody three weeks ago. I was SO excited! I have never had a broody hen before! in those three weeks she did absolutely amazing, got off the nest in the morning and afternoon but went right back her clutch of 5 eggs after eating, drinking, and dust bathing. but today (hatch day) I got overly excited and got SIX () chicks to add to her clutch. So now she would’ve had 11 chicks, yes I know a lot but she’s a pretty big hen!! so I went into the coop and shut all the other chickens out into the run. I put the box near her and she started clucking!! But since my chickens have nesting boxes high up I put her right next to the nesting box on the floor. I got a chick and put her right next to my hen and my hen did absolutely nothing. I was confused, her clucking stopped. I put two chicks in the nesting box and she walked away and jumped up back to the nesting boxes but since hers was empty (all her eggs were on the nesting box on the floor) she went and sat on the eggs that had been laid that day!! I was so shocked!! I put her in the original nesting box and put a chick next to her thinking maybe she just wanted to be in the spot she picked out? nope. She went and pecked the chick!! hard!! I took her eggs away and have them in the incubator. She was trying to eat the egg that was hatching. So far one is hatching but the others are moving around. So disappointed. she sat for three weeks for nothing, basically starving herself. Now I have to break her broodyness, and raise chicks that I did not account for. Any tips for anything?

You should’ve waited until hers hatched and put the new ones in after dark. I’ve not had one yet that didn’t accept them when I put them under the hen after dark. You might try again after hers have hatched, but you’ll need to set up a brooder just in case she doesn’t accept them and to keep the new ones warm/fed/watered.

 

[FrostRanger]

When introducing chicks to a broody you have to make her think she hatched them. You do so by slipping the chicks underneath her. By moving her and placing the chick next to her, that chick is simply an interloper and possible competition to her chicks to her. Of course some hens are just bad mothers but I wouldn't write her off as one just yet

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think part of the problem was that you were messing with her instead of leaving her alone. It sounds like her eggs had not yet hatched. I think by moving her and her eggs around you really confused her. I understand you did not know better but next time do not get overly excited and leave her alone.

The only way forward I see for you now is to take care of the chicks yourself. But next time, leave her alone while she is hatching the chicks. If you want to add chicks to her brood (I often do) wait until some of hers have hatched and after it is pitch black at night add the new chicks to her nest. You do not need to risk crushing a chick by putting them under hen, just put them in the nest next to her. They will go under her on their own. The next morning be down there at daybreak when they wake up. You should be able to tell if she accepted them or not.

This does not always work but it usually does. Treat this as a learning experience.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Not every hen knows wht to do, especially first time hens. I most definitely would raise the chicks myself. It should always be a back up plan whenever you set eggs under a broody because you never know.