Re: Our Brooding Hens and chicks

Milli wrote:
OK...we've now got four broody hens who are sitting on oh, 30-40 eggs
all together...one has been sitting for just over 21 days now...we've
been anxiously watching and waiting...this afternoon I went into the
hen house and saw a dead chick in front of one of the hens...of
course, there is no telling what happened....she smothered it or
killed it for some reason???
But it led me to a question...I would imagine we're going to have
some more hatching very soon. Does she instinctively know what to do
when that happens?...I would think so..perhaps she was thrown for a
loop because it was only one...
Sorry to ask such a lame question but this IS our first time...

Its impossible to tell with new broodies.
In general the right instinct kicks in but some just don't know what to do.
They can simply abandon the chicks or attack them
This may have been a chick who was not strong enough to survive having
hatched.
Good luck and hopefully all the others will be hale and hearty.

--

regards
Jill Bowis

Pure bred utility chickens and ducks
Housing; Equipment, Books, Videos, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Working Holidays in Scotland
http://www.kintaline.co.uk


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