I'm very sad right now. :(

[cluckmecoop7]

I'm so sad right now! The last remaining egg was hatching today. (It's day 21) Dazzle, the hen that was supposed to be taking care of the egg got off of the nest and left to coop. Creampuff, one of the other chickens went in and started eating the egg --- with the chick inside! She picked it up with her beak and ran out of the coop with it. The other chickens saw what she had and they all started fighting over it. I watched helplessly as they devoured the poor thing. I'm so sad. It was SO close to being a real live chick, running around with its mother. I had a place all set up and ready for it so it could be safe from the other chickens with is mother when it hatched. I'm in tears right now.
Thank you for the support.

- Clucky

 

[Miss Lydia]

So very sorry

 

[cluckmecoop7]

So very sorry

Thank you, @Miss Lydia.

 

[sourland]

So sorry you had to deal with this. Sadly this frequently happens when other birds have access to a broody hen's nest site.

 

[Pennys Mama]

I'm so sad right now! The last remaining egg was hatching today. (It's day 21) Dazzle, the hen that was supposed to be taking care of the egg got off of the nest and left to coop. Creampuff, one of the other chickens went in and started eating the egg --- with the chick inside! She picked it up with her beak and ran out of the coop with it. The other chickens saw what she had and they all started fighting over it. I watched helplessly as they devoured the poor thing. I'm so sad. It was SO close to being a real live chick, running around with its mother. I had a place all set up and ready for it so it could be safe from the other chickens with is mother when it hatched. I'm in tears right now.
Thank you for the support.

- Clucky

I'm so sorry!!! I hate when anything goes wrong with hatching. I would have to make soup out of that egg thief!!! I had an egg go missing out of a sitting box (with 12 eggs) that had been sat on for over a week already. I just don't know who broke it or stole it, all my hens have access to it when mama hops off to take care of business.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I'm so so sorry this happened!!

 

[TwoShepherds]

That sucks. So sorry.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Thank you everybody. I'm going to try again next year....and separate the broody!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Thank you everybody. I'm going to try again next year....and separate the broody!

When you're not sure how a broody hen will handle being moved I find it easier to do the move while she's sitting on fake eggs in the beginning to make sure she settles in before I give hatching eggs.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

When you're not sure how a broody hen will handle being moved I find it easier to do the move while she's sitting on fake eggs in the beginning to make sure she settles in before I give hatching eggs.

Good idea. Thanks.