Hen hatched eggs and killed chicks

[ChickyWhicky]

I had a broody hen sitting a clutch of 6 eggs. She sat them all the way until hatch. One hatched at night and we found the chick outside the nest dead (fully hatched and developed). I thought just a mishap and went to bed. Next morning I check and there is another dead chick outside the nest. Mama is still sitting the rest of eggs so I let her be. Check again in late afternoon and mama has left the nest completely. Most of the eggs were partially hatched but chicks had died. I am assuming she kicked the hatched chicks out of the nest and then apparently left and let the remaining eggs partially hatch and die.

We do several hatches a year (we have 2 broody hens we normally use) and this was our first time letting a newbie hen hatch. To say less, she is in freezer camp and wont be trying again.

Has anybody else had experiences with bad mamas? What do you do?

 

[my21chickens]

oh my gosh thats terrible. I've never experienced that because we use one hen that we trust but now you've scared me from trying anyone else. I'm sorry that happened to you

 

[Yardmom]

I have had probably a dozen different broodies. Most have taken to mothering, but I had one that pecked the heads a killed them right after hatch.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I had a hen that didn't like chicks after they hatched. Great nester, but she'd kill chicks

 

[Project Blue]

My turkey hen didn't protect her chicks. I found them flattened on the floor like they were stepped on, but no aggressive behavior. My dear husband was teasing me saying the geese sitting eggs were going to hatch more goslings than me, since I only got two to hatch from an incubator. (The rest were not fertile, entirely different problem. We have a dominant duck that thinks he's a goose). Well, there was 3 geese sitting on pretty well built nests and one duck. The first two hatched zero and all their eggs disappeared as well as the duck's eggs. All were first timers and have started second nests. The third goose is still sitting her nest and was the last to set up house keeping. I've seen the geese eat duck egg shells when they drop an egg here and there and crows open them up, but have no idea how 40 some eggs completely disappeared at hatching time. Last year the ducks failed miserably that were older ducks. That sat and sat and then abandoned their nests. The eggs were dirty and smelling bad. It's weird how some birds will have strong broody instincts but bomb as mothers.