Dead chick with mama hen

[StickyChicky]

Hi all -

We have a hen with a huge amount of eggs under her. We were thinking it was day 20 or 21 and just found a wet newly hatched chick right in front of the mama hen, dead, and no shell. The guts are pulled out a little at the umbilical cord, like it hatched prematurely.

We're wondering if:
1. It hatched prematurely, died and mama kicked it out of the nest and ate the eggshell?
2. Mama pushed the entire egg out of the nest and ate the egg shell, killing the chick?
3. Another hen/rooster ate the eggshell? (Doesn't seem likely as mama hen attacks us when we get that close)

Anyone come across this and figure out what happened?

Seems weird, so we put a bowl of water and some food down right in front of the mama to get her some nutrition in case she needs it, without having to get up.

BTW, this was yesterday. Today we are hearing a bunch of peeping from under her... can't wait to count them!

 

[XxMingirlxX]

I think it just hatched prematurely, if will still be the 20th or 21st day though, some chicks can take up to day 24 or 25 to hatch, so my guess is that one hatched to early and the mama either ate the shell or you can't see it amidst all the other eggs.

Hope that helps and you soon have lots of little chicks!

 

[StickyChicky]

Thanks! I agree. I think it died and she pulled it out. She is still sitting on the nest - so still can't see how many she has, but have seen several faces peek out! I hadn't heard that they could take up to 24 days - sounds like she could stay sitting for a few more days... ugh! I'm as bad as the kids wanting her to get up so we can see all the little ones!

 

[XxMingirlxX]

Thanks!  I agree.  I think it died and she pulled it out.  She is still sitting on the nest - so still can't see how many she has, but have seen several faces peek out!  I hadn't heard that they could take up to 24 days - sounds like she could stay sitting for a few more days... ugh! I'm as bad as the kids wanting her to get up so we can see all the little ones!

Hens usually wait up to 24 hours after the first has hatched to give the remainder time to hatch (the chick that hatched early have more than enough sustenance to wait 24 hours so don't worry) then she will get up with her new chicks and teach them all they need to know