Dead Baby Chicks

[Eggscited]

We've enjoyed our Silkie chickens for many years, and I've never seen this happen before. I found 2 newly hatched chicks dead in the coop, and another chick who was barely alive. This baby was set away from the multiple broody hens who seemed pre-occupied with the existing eggs. When I put that chick back under one of the hens, I found it kicked out again about an hour later. I put that baby, and all the other eggs, (including 2 others that were starting to hatch) into an incubator. There are now 4 chicks who look perfectly healthy in the incubator. Does anyone have any idea why these chicks might have died? Why would the hen reject the new chick? I am afraid to put the new hatchlings in with the hens. Can anyone explain this odd scenario? Thanks for your opinions.

 

[maddysmamaw]

I have a broody right now that hatched two last week and completely ignored them. I found one laying in the mud of the run and one nearly dead just a few feet from the nest. Don't know why she's like this, except maybe because she's young and this is her first time brooding. Both chicks are doing fine now.