Chicks full grown but dead inside eggs, what happened?

[bbecca]

I tryed to let my broody hen hatch some eggs, first time for both of us and have allowed nature to run its course with the whole process with very little interference on my part except candling once and reaching in to get the other eggs I didn’t want her to sit on. 1 hatched very healthy but the other 2 didn’t. I kept waiting because I didn’t want to disturb anything but after two days of the first being hatched I had to move them all to a different location so Mom could show chick how to eat and drink and it was a safer area for them. It’s now day 24 and one un- hatched egg was freezing cold with no sign of effort to crack open. The other one, half cracked open but the shell looked shattered in lots of tiny pieces. Almost like mama crushed it as it was hatching? Both baby’s fully formed but dead. Does this mean they were just too weak to make it out? Or did I do damage while transporting? Just would like to know for future reference...

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi.

Here is a little chart with good hatch diagnosis information...
http://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8127.pdf

Oh, sorry... I didn't realize you were using mum... it may still be relevant.

 

[bbecca]

Tha

Hi.

Here is a little chart with good hatch diagnosis information...
http://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8127.pdf

Oh, sorry... I didn't realize you were using mum... it may still be relevant.

nk you, this is very informative,?but a little different with mama on them. Wondering if me moving them caused a problem...

 

[tuesdaze]

If it was two days after the first chick hatched, moving the eggs did not cause a problem. Usually there is not more than 24 hours between eggs hatching and most often, not even that long.

 

[bbecca]

If it was two days after the first chick hatched, moving the eggs did not cause a problem. Usually there is not more than 24 hours between eggs hatching and most often, not even that long.

Oh ok good to know thanks!

 

[flowerbug]

Lack of humidity in the last few days of hatching

 

[flowerbug]

It is really hard to tell exactly without seeing them

 

[tuesdaze]

Lack of humidity in the last few days of hatching

Is lack of humidity during the last few days often a problem with a broody hen doing the hatching?

 

[red horse ranch]

A broody hen usually has enough humidity escaping from her body to keep the eggs moist enough to hatch. It's possible that the hen stepped on one of the eggs. I don't believe it was anything you did wrong! It's common to have fully developed chicks that fail to hatch. This can be caused by a lack of something in the hen's diet but sometimes we never know why.
It's hard to lose any of the chicks. I've hatched hundreds of babies but I still regret losing them when they don't make it.
Your new momma hen will probably be protective of her new chick. Good luck with them and have fun watching them.

 

[flowerbug]

Yes it really depends, but if she has dewy grass she will get some water while grazing but it can be a lack of humidity