We learned the hard way NOT to let the comet chickens hatch eggs!! We had 2 suddenly want to start setting several weeks ago which we thought was odd. They are a hybrid chicken for fast egg production and we didn't think they had that 'nesting' instinct in them. They are not around a rooster so none of their eggs are fertilized. Well, 2 of them decided to start setting, so we took some of our fertilized eggs from the Maran group of chickens and put them under our expectant mothers. Yesterday we discovered that one of the hens had a baby but it was dead in the yard. We figured all the other comets got jealous or something and trampled it. So later yesterday evening, another egg hatched but oddly the mother pecked at it when it would peek out from under her. I thought that was rather odd for a mother to do that so we kept an eye on her. The kids came in before bed from their finally round of checking on the animals, and one of them said "That mom is mean. I saw her peck at her baby". So today I decided to go out and get some food and water ready for the baby and see how it was doing. I took her out from under the mama hen and what an awful site. She had pecked at the head and the eyes were bulging out and I think part of the brain.....it was so gross but the poor thing was still alive. We immediately removed all the eggs from under both comets (7 of which are in the process of hatching) and put them all under our Maran chicken that is setting. Hopefully she will take to them without any issues (or else I'm bringing them all in the house to hatch myself!!!)
Oh my! That was sad! I guess you don't know until you try something like that. Hopefully, this time around will be better with the different chickens.
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