all the things that have gone wrong with my hatch so far

[Jessgotchooks]

My first timer araucana hen was sitting in 8 Rhode island red chick eggs.
so far she crushed one at 10 days and now we have 7.
so far 3 hatched and one was nearly killed by other hen.
5th one hatched today, after i had to care for it my self, as the mother crushed that one too, so the sack wasent fully drawn in, but it was nessary to get it out of the shell. so number 5 has a plaster covering the rest of her sack, shes doing good, only the stupid mum keeps being rough.
now she has crushed annother un ready shell and the chick is stuck, not ready to hatch, and another egg still has a cheeping chick inside it.
day 23 will keep you posted.

help need on determining the gender of these, will love both male and female.

thanks!!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

aww, thats sad. I had it happen to me too and i will tell you the problem. mama should be by herself away from other hens. they are so protective and when another hen gets too close to see what the ruckus it they get smashed. plus her being a first time mom dont help. silkies are , hands down, the best mama brooder you can have. they will sit a rock for you.

 

[Jessgotchooks]

aww, thats sad. I had it happen to me too and i will tell you the problem. mama should be by herself away from other hens. they are so protective and when another hen gets too close to see what the ruckus it they get smashed. plus her being a first time mom dont help. silkies are , hands down, the best mama brooder you can have. they will sit a rock for you.

wow, yea maybe i should just buy me a silkie to brood all future chickens from now on, are they sensitive to chicks? cuz some hard brooders just stare at an egg outside of the nest while others immediately retrieve them.

will post pics of chicks soon

 

[Granny Hatchet]

not sure what you meen by sensitive but if an egg gets pushed out they will pull it back in and you can show them an egg you want them to sit and put it next to them and they will take it under themselves. lol funny to watch. here is what i recommend and i have had luck with silkies and cochins doing this. make/ buy a brooder box. after the hen has been sitting for a week or so with the flock, take the eggs a little bit of HER nesting material and put them in the brooder, then add mama. keep the cage covered and leave them alone for a few hrs. in the morning or i should say in a few min. you can sneak a peek and she will be sitting them. it is a chance to move them i am sure a lot of people will say but i have never had a fail.