Help! Broody pecked hole in egg under her

[Anne02]

An update:
The poor little chick in the pecked egg died. Her beak was at the hole, but she hadn’t unzipped, no movement or cheeping and was starting to smell funny...
8 eggs have hatched, one died after unzipping but before pushing out of the egg, and Mum abandoned the others! One was pipped so I put them under another broody, but this morning the same has happened to that chick- it had unzipped but not emerged and is dead.
I’ve never had this before, is it likely to do with the vast amount of eggs affecting incubation temps? I was torn in the beginning about whether to put some in the incubator but in the end I left them all under her, now I’m regretting it!

So sorry about your chicks. Sending virtual hugs!!

 

[aart]

Don't feed her during the last few dats, and esp. not on the nest. She'll come off and eat if she's hungry. She needs to get off and poop. If you put food where she can reach it from the nest, she's going to poop on the eggs again, and you saw the problems that can cause. The food and water should be at least a few feet away.

Ditto Dat!!

her instinct will be to stay sitting until all are hatched.

Only for the first few and last few days, the days in between she should get up to eat/drink/poop/dust bathe every day or two....if given the space to do so.

 

[Bluebellhoney]

Ditto Dat!!

Only for the first few and last few days, the days in between she should get up to eat/drink/poop/dust bathe every day or two....if given the space to do so.

I do have her food and water a few feet away- I only started giving her food because she wasn’t leaving the nest (as evidenced by poop) and she had lost so much weight. She must have been leaving the nest to drink or surely she wouldn’t have survived?

Also, it seems on closer inspection that the pipped egg from yesterday is still going, the one who had died the shell was crushed underneath! I wish I had my incubator!

 

[Bluebellhoney]

So sorry about your chicks. Sending virtual hugs!!

Thank you, it’s so hard to see the little souls curled up and pre fluff, seemingly perfect

 

[Anne02]

Thank you, it’s so hard to see the little souls curled up and pre fluff, seemingly perfect

I lost a few almost hatched chicks under a broody this past summer, too.

 

[Bluebellhoney]

I lost a few almost hatched chicks under a broody this past summer, too.

Oh that’s a shame! Maybe it’s too hot? It has been in the high 30s here...

 

[Anne02]

Oh that’s a shame! Maybe it’s too hot? It has been in the high 30s here...

That shouldn't have much to do with it. She would maintain the right temp no matter what it is outside.

 

[Bluebellhoney]

That shouldn't have much to do with it. She would maintain the right temp no matter what it is outside.

Yes of course- I think I’m just trying to finds reasons! It makes me feel so guilty even though I know that’s silly

 

[Anne02]

Yes of course- I think I’m just trying to finds reasons! It makes me feel so guilty even though I know that’s silly

I know!! I still get teary when I think about those poor little chicks that were so close to hatching.

 

[Bluebellhoney]

I know!! I still get teary when I think about those poor little chicks that were so close to hatching.