2 chicks dead--please help

[claraserena]

Two of the chicks that hatched today are dead--one I saw come out then the mom got it under her and next I looked it was dead. Another one with barely any shell or membrane is dead--under her. Another was about to emerge--I kind of helped and now have it under a heat lamp and it's alive. I see one under her that has no shell, must'y membrane--should I take that one and try to help it out and put it under the heat lamp. This not turning out as I had hoped. Please help!

 

[wolfpack62001]

I would say put it under the Lamp!
Dont keep looking under the Hen, Let Nature work for you.
I know this is the hard part, but chickens have been doing this for a long time, you may loose a few, but what lives will be strong and healthy.
Hope I helped

 

[Sharisr32]

I trust nature as Wolf said until you put it in the terms that based on being a female not meant every girl was meant to be a mom - Nature learns through trial and error a younger chicken may crush a few and learn the "OPPS"
so I let the broody hatch and take the chicks to the brooder at first sight -- it is a what works for you- A lot of the breeds have had mother skills bred out of them--
See which way works best for this particular bird-

 

[chicknmania]

Sorry about your babies. You don't say how many eggs there were, but we just hatched our first brood last December. We were told by someone else who has chickens to expect to lose at least half of them due to weather and other factors. We did lose exactly half; there were fourteen, seven survived; they died over the first week to ten days, some the first day. We had a heat light on the mother and babesall the time for the first ten days or so, then turned it off at night after that, when they got under her. They were outside in the barn in an insulated elevated pen whose walls were wood on three sides. We were told by a local breeder here that we didn't need a heat light at all as long as mom was with them, but we just couldn't leave them out there all the time without a little heat during the day, at least. Sometimes you have to try to stay cool and just hope mom figures out what to do. I know it's hard. . but our seven remaining babies seem happy, healthy, and thriving; going on four months now. You'll get some healthy babies too, sooner or later.

 

[claraserena]

Thanks to all for your words of support. The two under the heat lamp are fluffy and alive--both have drunk some sugar water. Mom is on 8 more. I think two are infertiles. One is cracked in a spot, one is not due to hatch for two days and the other two I don't know. All are in the house. This is the hen's first brood.
I guess I will check from time to time. In a couple of days when the last one has hatched (God willing) do you think she will accept the ones that have been under the lamp? I could put the heat lamp over part of her area.

 

[chicknmania]

I guess the best case scenario would be if the chicks in the other eggs did hatch, then you could probably sneak the ones under the lamp back with mom; i'm betting she wouldn't mind; they'd be all together and she'd be kinda distracted. Otherwise, I don't know. Our hen was a first time mom too and she did well after the first couple hours, the only thing she did that was alarming was she pecked at them at first. She hatched all hers on her own before we even knew what was happening, and didn't seem to have any problems. If no more hatch, you could probably put the chicks back in and just be right there for an hour or two in case she acts threatening or tries to hurt them. I think the chicks are always better off with the mom and it's funny to see her with em.