Chicks due today and only one hatched is already dead!

[Deirdrejd]

I am new to all this. We have a broody chicken, well 2 broody chickens but 4 eggs were under one. I went to check on them this morning and found a dead chick with half its feathers missing from its back and a very bloody looking featherless neck. What happened?! We are concerned for the others but don't even know what is going on. We have had mites in there and trying to deal with it. But I didn't see many on the chick. I've been checking in on the other eggs but haven't seen any hatch yet. Will they all definitely hatch today? It's exactly 21 days of incubation today. They were laid the day before. Help!

 

[orloffer]

Sometimes a broody hen doesn't accept the chicks, and instead attacks/pecks them. I am not experienced with broody hens, so perhaps someone else can give you more advice as to what to do about it.
I am sorry you lost the chick.

 

[Deirdrejd]

Sometimes a broody hen doesn't accept the chicks, and instead attacks/pecks them. I am not experienced with broody hens, so perhaps someone else can give you more advice as to what to do about it.
I am sorry you lost the chick.

Thanks for the reply. They are not her eggs but she had been a very devoted mama to them. We'll keep a close eye on them. It was a big chick. I can't believe it fit in that little egg.

 

[Chicken12367]

If there are any eggs still under her watch closely when they start hatching, remove them if she acts aggressively towards them. 21 days is just a guideline, they can hatch before or after 21 days. It sucks finding a dead chick but hopefully you will have better luck when the other eggs start hatching.

 

[Deirdrejd]

If there are any eggs still under her watch closely when they start hatching, remove them if she acts aggressively towards them. 21 days is just a guideline, they can hatch before or after 21 days. It sucks finding a dead chick but hopefully you will have better luck when the other eggs start hatching.

Ok thanks. We'll keep a close watch. If there are chicks we would hear them, right? I just don't want to keep disturbing her and lifting her up to see the eggs. I assume I should be able to see or hear the chicks?

 

[Chicken12367]

Ok thanks. We'll keep a close watch. If there are chicks we would hear them, right? I just don't want to keep disturbing her and lifting her up to see the eggs. I assume I should be able to see or hear the chicks?

Yes you will most likely be able to hear the chicks peeping before you see them, but not always. I've had some chicks hatch without making any noise during the hatch or after, I only realised they had hatched once I had seen them. Did you candle the eggs to check if they were fertile or developing?

 

[Deirdrejd]

We have not candled the eggs. Never done that before. The hens haven't cared much for our meddling. We had to move them at the beginning to another place because they were being hassled by the other chickens. They had already lost 2 eggs to who knows what. Felt like enough drama so been leaving them be. We will candle them tonight if no more have hatched.
Ok, we just checked. One is cracked and we heard peeping. Should we leave it there or do something?

 

[Chicken12367]

We have not candled the eggs. Never done that before. The hens haven't cared much for our meddling. We had to move them at the beginning to another place because they were being hassled by the other chickens. They had already lost 2 eggs to who knows what. Felt like enough drama so been leaving them be. We will candle them tonight if no more have hatched.
Ok, we just checked. One is cracked and we heard peeping. Should we leave it there or do something?

If you heard peeping chances are that it’s ok. Do you know how long it’s been cracked? Personally I’d leave it under the hen, but it’s up to you to decide.

 

[Deirdrejd]

If you heard peeping chances are that it’s ok. Do you know how long it’s been cracked? Personally I’d leave it under the hen, but it’s up to you to decide.

I don't know how long it's been cracked but this morning it was intact. The chick is out and under the hen and she doesn't seem to be bothering it. They are right near the house so we'll keep monitoring. Thank you.

 

[Deirdrejd]

I don't know how long it's been cracked but this morning it was intact. The chick is out and under the hen and she doesn't seem to be bothering it. They are right near the house so we'll keep monitoring. Thank you.

Any thoughts on mites on chicks? We have been trying to deal with them but they are definitely still an issue. Mama doesn't seem to be bothered by them. I put some DE in there but read it can harm the lungs of the chicks. So I mixed some Poultry Dust that contains Permethrin into the bedding. Not too much but hopefully enough. I am worried about the mites getting on the chicks but I don't know what else to do.