Broody hen failed hatch :(

[billiejw89]

We let our hen set on eggs. Yesterday I heard peeping. I lifted the hen gently and could see one of the eggs had a hole in it. I checked once more before bed, I just peeked very quickly and could see the egg was open pretty good. This morning... No peeping and it seems like the little guy gave up, it was almost completely hatched. No peeps from the other eggs. What could have happened?

 

[nchls school]

We let our hen set on eggs. Yesterday I heard peeping. I lifted the hen gently and could see one of the eggs had a hole in it. I checked once more before bed, I just peeked very quickly and could see the egg was open pretty good. This morning... No peeping and it seems like the little guy gave up, it was almost completely hatched. No peeps from the other eggs. What could have happened?

Sorry. It is always best not to look when chicks are hatching as is causes changes in temperature and humidity which can cause a chick to die in the shell. More likely the chick was weak and just did not have the strength to hatch. Do not be in a hurry to discard the other eggs; candle them or wait a couple days to be sure there is not more eggs that will hatch. Good luck.

 

[billiejw89]

We are so sad! We will leave momma alone for a few more days, if nothing we will take the eggs. We won't let her sit again till spring.

 

[billiejw89]

I'm not sure what day they are on, is there any hope for the other eggs?

 

[junebuggena]

It's not uncommon for a clutch of eggs to take several days for them all to hatch. Some eggs hatch a bit early, at 19/20 days, and some can hatch a bit late, at 24/25 days.

 

[billiejw89]

I hope so. I feel bad for Shadow (momma hen) sitting all this time for nothing.

 

[billiejw89]

I found another almost fully hatched dead baby on the side of her today...... There are still 5 eggs under her. No peeping can be heard.

 

[nchls school]

I found another almost fully hatched dead baby on the side of her today...... There are still 5 eggs under her. No peeping can be heard.

Can you post a picture of that last dead baby in the shell? I think there is a good chance that this new mom is unintentionally killing her chicks. So often I have seen new bird parents peck away at hatching eggs to where the chicks die.

 

[billiejw89]

We have already buried it. I did not see any blood, there was still shell over the head area.
1st baby had no blood either.
My daughter said it looked like the baby pooped in its shell. There was a small dark/white blob near the tail end that looked like regular chicken poo. Maybe she squished them? Not sure. She is really trying hard, she has not gotten off the nest in days. I gave her some feed and water.

 

[billiejw89]

We took the 5 eggs that were under her. She was mad! I shooed her out of the nesting box. We decided to see what was inside the eggs. 3 had nothing but icky stinky goo. 2 of them had chicks inside but they died early on. Shadow has returned to her nest, should I leave her there or encourage her to get out?