Broody Hen pecked at pipping hole before chick was ready.

[Godspeedracer]

Im brand new here to BYC and love the site. I cant say Im really brand new as I've been reading threads since I got my chicks a few months back which are now beautiful laying hens thanks to your guidance here in all the forums. I haven't found the answer though to my "emergency to me" question. My broody hen had 13 eggs under her, all from my flock of 6 girls and one roosters help. I put some eggs under her when I realized she was serious and a day or two after. Next time they will all start on one day! Three days ago they started hatching, first one then 6 the next day, then 3, then I found an egg with a quarter sized hole in it with a dead chick inside, the mom was pecking the hole. I think she got impatient as the other eggs were hatching normally. Then the last egg pipped at wrong end was also in distress as the mom was pecking at it. I took it out, put in a box and watched and WAITED, impatiently I might add but I didn't PECK at it like my broody was doing. She was peeping like crazy for a bit then quiet, off and on for a few hours. Left the house for an hour, came back and she had gotten out of that shell but the yolk had not completely been consumed and the umbilical chord was still attached as she was laying sideways and dragging it all around her tiny little area just room enough for her to move in a tiny circle. The yolk had busted open, the chord was pulling on her insides so I made an executive decision to cut the chord before she pulled her insides out. I watched her a couple more hours, gave her some sugar water then decided to put her under her mom. This morning, her eyes are not open, she is peeping, her butt is larger than the others, and Im worried the other chicks will hurt her as she is not walking but just laying and crawling. She is beautiful and fluffy but Im not sure...............Is my chick recovering from early birth or is she in distress? Should I separate her from the others for a bit and give her crushed chick starter with sugar water? Please help. I looked from one end of this site to the other and there's lots about a chick born in an incubator but not in distress with a broody. Thank you so much in advance for your help in "my emergency".

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC - sorry for the circumstances. Such premature chicks are frequently difficult to raise. You can try removing her from the mother, putting her in a heated box and giving sugar water and electrolytes. If she gains strength you can try giving her back to the hen, but she may very well just slowly fade away. Good luck.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

I agree with sourland. Sorry to hear about this chick

You may want to post here for more advice.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

 

[nj2wv]

Welcome to BYC !!

 

[drumstick diva]

Is this the first time the hen has been broody? I really wouldn't trust her with a chick needing extra care, in view of what has happened to the other chick.

 

[Godspeedracer]

Thank you all for your help, sorry it took me so long to reply but after the little chick passed away the evening of day two of taking care of her I noticed one of my hens was ill and have also been taking care of her for the past two days, again searching here for clues as to what it is. She is on her way to recovery but yes the chick did pass. The electrolytes was great advice however I didn't know I could buy "chick electrolytes for newborns" at the local feed store so I only gave sugar water. Also I didn't have good knowledge of how to give it and I think in the long run I may have done harm by giving to much (though I would only give a tiny tiny bit with a syringe, I did notice she had a hard time a couple of times with swallowing the liquid, I think I may have filled her lungs with liquid. I know she would have died if I'd have left her with the mother, I have no doubt of that, but I just didn't do it correctly Im afraid. This is how we learn right? So please if you have a chick with the same symptoms, search the internet for a video that possibly shows the correct way to administer the liquids to a very sick chick. My chick couldn't stand so I had to do it with a syringe I had no choice, so hopefully someone out there has posted one that knows what they're doing. Yes this was my broodys first hatching of bitties, I dont think she quite knew what she was doing, nor did I so 11 out of 13 was a pretty good number for us girls I think. The only other thing I can add as far as advice is educate, educate, educate yourself before your bitties hatch so you will know what to do ahead of time. There is so much good information on this site but it's only helpful if we read it. Thank you all again for your help, I will post pics of the newbies shortly once I get a break.