Help with hatching babies- did mama eat them??

[AP332]

I have kept chickens for about 15 or so years and they are happy and do well. I prefer buff orpingtons as they are pretty docile and easy to care for. I have never tried to let one of the broody hens raise any chicks until this year. I let one of the hens have some eggs and found 2 dead babies on the floor. I thought maybe the rooster or one of the other hens killed them when they wandered off from mom. They were only about a day old, broke my heart.
One of the hens got broody again so I decided to let her sit and after about 2 weeks I put them in seclusion in a wire dog crate, so the others could not get to them. Yesterday one of the eggs started hatching and I went out early this morning to see it and it is gone. Just gone and the other eggs aren't making any noise plus mama has decided not to sit any more, she ran off with the flock. My son looked on the internet and said that sometimes mama will focus on the eggs and the babies will not be welcome and sometimes they eat them?? Are my buffs just not mother material. I keep hearing about the little banties that are good mothers.

 

[cavemanrich]

Silkies and Cochin's are known to be excellent mothers. There are also good mothers in other breeds. Buff orphs should be in that club, but it just gets to individual chicken personality in your flock,,
Sorry to hear of your losses

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[AP332]

Thanks I don't know if I will be trying this again anytime soon. It just seemed like a cool idea to let mama raise them. I think my flock might be set on genocide of their species. Good thing they are not the last ones on Earth.

 

[RoosterHuggerLiz]

Sometimes it just depends on the bird, some of them arent fit to be mothers but others can make great mothers, I had an orpington pullet who somehow went broody over some other hens eggs and hatched a clutch of Rhode Island red and Leghorn chicks, she hadn't even laid a single egg herself yet but I'm guessing she was getting really close to start laying, the brooding hormones kicked in before she could