The hen is trying to get what ever is on the out side of the baby bird you might want to get the peep and see for your self that its not any important part of this baby bird before the hen pulls it all the way off or out.Most broody hens don't kill a chick if they know there is a promblem with a chick they will push the tiny bird aside from the rest and leave it alone she wont even allow the pep to set under her,

I have a Silkie hen and a newly hatched chick, the hen keeps pecking at the chick and I can't tell if she's cleaning it or trying to kill it. Do hens clean newly hatched eggs? How do I know if she's trying to kill it? These are her first eggs that she has hatched but the eggs were given to us by a neighbor that raises chickens. The chick has something coming out of the end of it and that's what she's pecking at. (Me and my family are fairly new to this as well lol) Also, if she's killing the chick will she do this to the rest? Please help!!!