- Jan 20, 2013
- 6
- 3
- 9
For the last couple years I have been hatching my own chicks (with the help of broody hens) to help replenish my flock. Predators aside we have been generally successful with the initial hatches.
The hens do all the work, I primarily just give them a private place to sit on the eggs and keep them fed watered and remove the oh so horrible broody poo.
This year though I have had one problem, well only happened twice, but I am curious if there is some knowledge out there on it.
I have had three broods:
With the first set I had one chick that when I checked under mama the shell was not apart like normal it was more or less shattered, not broke in half like I normally see and the chick was dead. The 4 other chicks hatched just fine
With the third I checked today same thing, one of the chicks and shell were more or less like they were smashed. The other egg is still fine, waiting on it to hatch sometime today.
These both happened on hatch day. Both mama are 3rd time mama's.
Any thoughts?
The hens do all the work, I primarily just give them a private place to sit on the eggs and keep them fed watered and remove the oh so horrible broody poo.
This year though I have had one problem, well only happened twice, but I am curious if there is some knowledge out there on it.
I have had three broods:
With the first set I had one chick that when I checked under mama the shell was not apart like normal it was more or less shattered, not broke in half like I normally see and the chick was dead. The 4 other chicks hatched just fine
With the third I checked today same thing, one of the chicks and shell were more or less like they were smashed. The other egg is still fine, waiting on it to hatch sometime today.
These both happened on hatch day. Both mama are 3rd time mama's.
Any thoughts?