Broody Hen - Babies Die

[LadyEmmaGrey]

I have a hen that lives inside. She recently hatched a healthy chick that lived for five days. She was very dedicated, teaching it to eat and soft clucks to soothe it, keeping it under her and warm. We woke up yesterday and the baby had died. No injury, just looks like it fell asleep and didn't wake up. I thought it might have gotten too cold. We replaced it with a new chick that she seemed to accept but this morning, it was gone as well. She is still sitting on two fertile eggs. Should I give her a new chick? Should I let her keep the eggs? Are the babies dyeing because of the AC in the house? I assumed she would keep them warm and didn't move her or them to the brooder. We have made sure that both she and the chicks have food and water close and there is no access to anything that could make them sick. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Debbie292d]

I really don't understand what is happening as that chick should go under the mother if it's chilled. Chicks survive in way colder conditions than air conditioning.

Have you seen the chick drinking? It should have learned how but sometimes we have to dip their beaks in the water so they understand it.

Is there a possibility she's pecking them? It would only take one hard peck to the head and she could kill it.

I'd maybe let her sit on the eggs and hatch them herself and maybe that will work better. It's worth a shot!

 

[LadyEmmaGrey]

I really don't understand what is happening as that chick should go under the mother if it's chilled. Chicks survive in way colder conditions than air conditioning.

Have you seen the chick drinking? It should have learned how but sometimes we have to dip their beaks in the water so they understand it.

Is there a possibility she's pecking them? It would only take one hard peck to the head and she could kill it.

I'd maybe let her sit on the eggs and hatch them herself and maybe that will work better. It's worth a shot!

It was eating and drinking well. It was cool watching her teach it how. It would crawl under her when it was cold and then pop out to eat and drink and explore. I thought the first one was just a fluke but then the one we gave her to replace it died. I never saw her peck the chick hard, but she would give it little pecks like she was teaching it something or directing it. She keeps looking around like she is trying to find the baby. I will let her sit on the eggs she has and see how she does. I just don't know what affect this will have on her. Do hens mourn when they lose chicks? Will she stop eating and drinking? Usually, the broody hens are outside, and we just let nature take its course, so I have no experience with this situation.

 

[Debbie292d]

It was eating and drinking well. It was cool watching her teach it how. It would crawl under her when it was cold and then pop out to eat and drink and explore. I thought the first one was just a fluke but then the one we gave her to replace it died. I never saw her peck the chick hard, but she would give it little pecks like she was teaching it something or directing it. She keeps looking around like she is trying to find the baby. I will let her sit on the eggs she has and see how she does. I just don't know what affect this will have on her. Do hens mourn when they lose chicks? Will she stop eating and drinking? Usually, the broody hens are outside, and we just let nature take its course, so I have no experience with this situation.

It's said in small flocks, when a hen or rooster passes, the rest mourn for a few days. I have silkies and we've lost a few to old age and I never saw anything change.

However, a momma who had a baby chick that suddenly doesn't is a different story. She probably will just forget about it and concentrate on her eggs though. I'm guessing if you didn't give her eggs, she'd be looking for the chick for a few days.

 

[Mrs. K]

Chicks do die sometimes, it is called failure to thrive, it generally happens between 3 -6 days old. It does bother me about the second one, and that you stated that the water, and food are close by. What does this area look like?

I think that they need space to exercise, exercise helps with digestion. Sometimes people keep them in too small of space trying to keep them safe.

I don't think it is the AC, as my broody hens have had chicks outside in 0 degree temperatures. Chicks do not need to be constantly kept warm, they need a place to warm up. Sounds like she was doing that.

How many days till the eggs hatch? I think that if those don't live you really need to break her.

Why is she not outside? I think sunshine and fresh air are also important.

But really - I think it was a fluke.

Mrs K

 

[LadyEmmaGrey]

It's said in small flocks, when a hen or rooster passes, the rest mourn for a few days. I have silkies and we've lost a few to old age and I never saw anything change.

However, a momma who had a baby chick that suddenly doesn't is a different story. She probably will just forget about it and concentrate on her eggs though. I'm guessing if you didn't give her eggs, she'd be looking for the chick for a few days.

Chicks do die sometimes, it is called failure to thrive, it generally happens between 3 -6 days old. It does bother me about the second one, and that you stated that the water, and food are close by. What does this area look like?

I think that they need space to exercise, exercise helps with digestion. Sometimes people keep them in too small of space trying to keep them safe.

I don't think it is the AC, as my broody hens have had chicks outside in 0 degree temperatures. Chicks do not need to be constantly kept warm, they need a place to warm up. Sounds like she was doing that.

How many days till the eggs hatch? I think that if those don't live you really need to break her.

Why is she not outside? I think sunshine and fresh air are also important.

But really - I think it was a fluke.

Mrs K

We had ordered 12 baby chicks from a hatchery. Some kind of respiratory infection killed them all except her (the broody hen). I nursed her night and day, and she finally pulled through. She will go outside for field trips but doesn't want to stay outside. She does have access to sunshine through the window, and we are working on a way for her to go outside and come back in to roost when she wants to. She is in a very large cage part of the time and when she isn't she is usually sitting on me.

 

[Chicalina]

Do you have other outside chickens?

I think long term she needs to be part of a flock, where she can BE a proper chicken herself and enjoy dust bathing, flying across the yard just for joy, pecking and scratching in the dirt, interacting with her own kind, making social chicken relationships, chasing bugs, listening to wild bird sounds, feeling the breeze and the rain, and everything that gives a chicken normal quality of life.

Being indoors almost all the time, even with the human family she is accustomed to, is not really a good chickeny life for her.

As for the eggs, how long has she been sitting on these ones? Since the
first chick hatched? Are they past 21 days of being incubated? If so, toss them as they will be rotten. If not, and you gave her eggs while she had a chick then it may have confused her into prioritising sitting over baby care and the chicks were neglected.

If you have only just given her new eggs to incubate then move them to another broody or an incubator. She will have spent 3 weeks already sitting to hatch the first baby and that means her fat reserves are depleted. You will harm her health if you let her sit for another 3 weeks now. She needs a break.

 

[LadyEmmaGrey]

Do you have other outside chickens?

I think long term she needs to be part of a flock, where she can BE a proper chicken herself and enjoy dust bathing, flying across the yard just for joy, pecking and scratching in the dirt, interacting with her own kind, making social chicken relationships, chasing bugs, listening to wild bird sounds, feeling the breeze and the rain, and everything that gives a chicken normal quality of life.

Being indoors almost all the time, even with the human family she is accustomed to, is not really a good chickeny life for her.

As for the eggs, how long has she been sitting on these ones? Since the
first chick hatched? Are they past 21 days of being incubated? If so, toss them as they will be rotten. If not, and you gave her eggs while she had a chick then it may have confused her into prioritising sitting over baby care and the chicks were neglected.

If you have only just given her new eggs to incubate then move them to another broody or an incubator. She will have spent 3 weeks already sitting to hatch the first baby and that means her fat reserves are depleted. You will harm her health if you let her sit for another 3 weeks now. She needs a break.

Thank you for your suggestions. We have tried to introduce her to our flock, but she hides behind us or flies into my arms. She is only closed in her cage when we are out or asleep; other than that, she is free to wander. She spends most of her time at the kitchen table with us and gets regular field trips (sunup to sundown) outside with her favorite roo and the only hen she doesn't run from. I hadn't planned on having an indoor chicken, but here she is.

 

[LaFleche]

12 baby chicks from a hatchery. Some kind of respiratory infection killed them all except her

I nursed her night and day, and she finally pulled through.

This makes me wonder if she is passing to the new chicks whatever killed the 12 hatchery chicks as well as almost herself as severe respiratory infections tend to be chronic and leave the surviving birds a constant source despite treatment.

 

[LadyEmmaGrey]

This makes me wonder if she is passing to the new chicks whatever killed the 12 hatchery chicks as well as almost herself as severe respiratory infections tend to be chronic and leave the surviving birds a constant source despite treatment.

I hadn't thought of that. The full grown hen and roo she has play dates with are fine but they were vaccinated. Her chick wasn't.