Mom attacking baby chicken trying to hatch?

[rburrows]

We have a broody hen that has been sitting on her eggs for 3+ weeks. One hatched a week ago. A second egg hatched and before we could see it the mother hen was pecking at it and tossing it around. By the time we saw it the new (2nd) chick was dead. This morning a 3rd egg started to hatch. It barely got its beak out before mama hen started pecking hard at the egg. At first I thought she was helping it out of its shell, and maybe she was but then she pulled her wing out of its shell and pecked at it. Once she drew blood from the baby chick I pulled it out. I have her in the kitchen under a heat lamp. Mama hen is looking for her. What was going on? Was she attacking her or trying to help? Should I put the chick back in with its mom? The chick is moving really slow trying to get out of its shell. I have never witnessed this before so I don't know if this is normal or if she is hurt. She seems to have stopped trying to get out but I can see her breathing and she is cheeping. Should I remove the other 3 eggs that haven't hatched yet? How do I care for them? What temperature and how often do I need to turn them?

 

[Pat Mcaffee]

Sorry, this seems very unfortunate. If the chick has stopped trying to hatch, look up information on assisted hatching. The other three eggs need to stay at a temperature around 99.5 degrees f. Turn them at least three times a day and keep the humidity up during hatch time and around 35-40 during the regular incubation period. Good luck! Keep us updated what happens the chick that was pecked.

 

[rburrows]

Thank you. What's odd is that as soon as I pulled the chick out that was trying to hatch, mama hen jumped out and was looking all over for it.

 

[Pat Mcaffee]

Keep me updated!

 

[Pat Mcaffee]

Does the mother still have one chick left? Maybe if she is treating her current chick alright, you might want to try sneaking a few hatched chicks underneath her at night. Keep an eye on them, however. She doesn't sound like she knows exactly what she's doing.

 

[Pat Mcaffee]

Actually- if the chicks are after day 19 do NOT rotate.

 

[rburrows]

So this chick is trying to hatch and I know it can take some time but its breathing seems to be labored a bit. Is this normal?

 

[Pat Mcaffee]

@Sally Sunshine ---This woman is a genuis. My knowledge of this is lacking but I hope she can help you.

 

[rburrows]

She just hatched! Looks healthy to me. How do I care for her now? I tried to put her with her mom again. Every time she cheeped her mom's head would pop up and she would look for her. When I put the baby down next to her, she walked around her and checked her out and then pecked at her but not like a full on attack. Wondering if it's a lost cause or if I should try to put her with her mom again later.

 

[Farmer In Training]

She so cute! Don't let her away from that heat lamp until she dries, its not good for her. If I were you, I would raise it myself instead of risking mom murder..... I would also go buy one or two day old chicks to be with her so she does not die of loneliness.. Or put her with one of her live siblings.