Baby chick died and I don't know why

[MissE]

It was her first time being broody (she's only a little over a year old). The hen didn't seemed distressed when I put her under there I think she was more confused so I kept my hand close, but then she was looking at her for while and then pecked her really fast.

If stress is a big factor, do you think I should even try with another broody hen and new chicks? I'm getting 6 chicks in about 10 days and I have another broody (about 5 years old) who's sat on eggs before (unfortunately only one hatched but she died). Do you think this scenario would be better since they're in a group of 6 and the broody already hatched eggs? I was hoping the hen would raise the chicks but now I'm very worried for another one to get stressed or pecked. I don't know if maybe I should just give up on the hens adopting chicks and just raise them inside like I normally do. I've also only tried the hen adopting chicks this one time.

I have not had a hen go broody yet, though one is acting a little suspicious right now, so I can't really answer your question. I know some people have luck putting them under the hen at night. Either way, be prepared to intervene and have a brooder ready.

 

[Cecisflock]

It happened so quick I'm not sure where she pecked her. I just looked up a vaulted skull but I have no idea if she has one. I attached a picture if you can tell?

If she is a silkie she has a vaulted skull, seems like the hen damaged her beyond repair

 

[anniemarie01]

If she is a silkie she has a vaulted skull, seems like the hen damaged her beyond repair

Is this something I should try to avoid when picking out my next silkie chick? Or is it not a problem the majority of the time?

 

[Cecisflock]

Is this something I should try to avoid when picking out my next silkie chick? Or is it not a problem the majority of the time?

All silkies have vaulted skulls, and yes it is a issue but there is nothing you can do except keep them away from standard hens

 

[Feath3rDust3r]

I've had many chickens who have raised chicks for me. Normally they don't seem to notice who's is who. Sometimes I've had 2 hens co-raise a flock. What I've found is that the Silkies have no trouble raising my Orpingtons, but my Orpingtons can't raise Silkies. Last year one of my Orpingtons hatched 2 Silkies and 4 Orpingtons. I gave her 6 more Orpington chicks and 2 Silkies from the incubator. She did just fine with them...no pecking that I could see . . but one by one I kept finding the Silkies dead. None of them made it...but none of the other chicks died. Now I only let the silkie hens raise the silkie babies.

 

[rosemarythyme]

It happened so quick I'm not sure where she pecked her. I just looked up a vaulted skull but I have no idea if she has one. I attached a picture if you can tell?

All silkies have vaulted skulls, and yes it is a issue but there is nothing you can do except keep them away from standard hens

Not all Silkies have vaults and admittedly I've never really looked into Silkies but in the photos of the deceased chick I don't see an obvious vault. A vaulted skull can be open or very thin boned on top, so any hit to the head is far more dangerous, which was why I was curious.

Good photo of a vaulted Silkie for comparison at the top of this page, along with some explanation about the issues it can cause: https://vjppoultry.com/2017/03/21/the-secrets-of-silkie-vaults-at-vjp-poultry-32117/

 

[Chickeria]

All silkies have vaulted skulls, and yes it is a issue but there is nothing you can do except keep them away from standard hens

No, not all silkies do have vaulted skulls. From the pictures OP posted it looks like the little one did not have a vaulted skull.

I'm sorry you lost your little one.