3 chicks...1 missing, 1 dead, 1 listless

[MyChickenShack]

Friday 2 chicks hatched, appeared healthy. Friday night the 3rd hatched... Saturday (today) evening...1 dead, 1 missing, the other listless...I have very little hope it will survive...I brought it in the house and trying to give it water..my gut is mama just didn't do a good job....at the onset, I had to position the waterer right next to her and actually out feed under her beak. She just would never get off the nest....I wonder if she ever tried to really show the chicks how to eat/drink....my other 3 hens that hatched little ones this year taught their little ones quickly and had them out the coop in days...as I'm writing this, this chick is beginning to open her eyes and chirp again...I'm actually thinking she might make it!!! Please, any insight!!! And what about mama....I took her out of brooder and put her back in coop...what do I do with her

 

[50-45-1]

Were there still unhatched eggs under her?
Even so its unusual for a hen not to encourage and show her chicks to eat. My experience has been that any eggs that have not hatched 2 days after the first chicks hathch out will be abandoned by the hen, as she knows the chicks need care.
Sorry, hard to know for sure as i cant see your set up.
Hope your chick makes it. The broody may still accept the chick and raise it. You will have to watch her with it for the fjrst day or two to make sure.
She might just be young and inexperienced

 

[MyChickenShack]

Were there still unhatched eggs under her?
Even so its unusual for a hen not to encourage and show her chicks to eat. My experience has been that any eggs that have not hatched 2 days after the first chicks hathch out will be abandoned by the hen, as she knows the chicks need care.
Sorry, hard to know for sure as i cant see your set up.
Hope your chick makes it. The broody may still accept the chick and raise it. You will have to watch her with it for the fjrst day or two to make sure.
She might just be young and inexperienced

Yes, she is young...a year old in June...her first time hatching...she had no other unhatched eggs under her....I'm losing hope again...the chick has quit chirping and closed her eyes

 

[MyChickenShack]

The chick died...i just buried it...what I know for sure Is that nothing entered the brooder...hardware cloth all around..also,1 was already dead and the other missing...makes me think she ate one...mama hen was vaccinated when we got her last year...and mama hen wouldn't get off the nest to eat and drink I had to put everything right in front of her...I wish I could have saved this chick...

 

[50-45-1]

Wow...i am so sorry, i have never had anything happen even close to this.
Maybe others have more of an idea about broody eating chicks.
I definatly would never let her set on eggs again.
Dont let this sour you on chickens though, i think this is a very rare happening.
Just out of curosity, what breed is your hen?

 

[MyChickenShack]

Wow...i am so sorry, i have never had anything happen even close to this.
Maybe others have more of an idea about broody eating chicks.
I definatly would never let her set on eggs again.
Dont let this sour you on chickens though, i think this is a very rare happening.
Just out of curosity, what breed is your hen?

Either a white rock or white Orbington , I get those 2 mixed up...and of my other 3 other hens that went broody this Summer, 2 of those were same breed and they made great mom's. What would you do with her...can I mark her some way for identification or should we get rid of her...I've never butchered a chicken before, but want to learn...I'm just so disgusted and sad! We had 3 successful hatches this year, so I know this isn't the norm, but I am just so sad about this... definitely learned something new....

 

[50-45-1]

Well, first make sure the brooder is not hiding the dead missing chick in straw. Clean it out carefully. You could mark the hen with a permenent marker on the back of her head or neck, and advertise her at your local feed store or on craigs list.
Be honest with an intrested party, but someone who is interested in hens for eggs and not broodies will not care.
If this hen indeed ate her chick i can understand you wanting to part with her.