My Broody lost a chick :(

[LoneCowboy]

I'm so sad, my broody hen has been sitting next to the cage door for a few days now. She finally moved and there was a dead chick under her. The chick would have been a week old today. I don't know what happened to it. She's been a really good mom. It really makes me sad.

 

[Chicabee19]

so sorry Lone-c...

hopefully she'll have other chances to raise some babies.

 

[LoneCowboy]

She still has 5 I hope they will be ok.

 

[texaschickmama]

Did she smother it? I'm afraid that will happen to mine, this is the first time I have let my broodies hatch. I'm on day 10 and have 12 chicks growing, I just candled. I'm sorry you lost one. Are you going to take the rest away?

 

[LoneCowboy]

Nope, not going to take the rest away. She's a good mom and it's a lot less work on me if she has them. Besides, she would be heart broken.

Although all life is valuable, these aren't what most people would call valuable chicks. They are EEers, and mixes. They are good chicks for her to learn to be a mom with and a good broody is worth their weight in gold.

Still doesn't make me feel any better that she lost one, but it's ok.

 

[speckledhen]

Same thing happened to me with my first-time broody, Glenda. This morning, DH found one of the BR babies dead under her-probably the last one that hatched yesterday. Could be it just died. Sometimes, Deniece, a little one just will not eat and drink on its own and nothing will change that. After about five days, they die. Had it happen a couple of times. Maybe Glenda smothered it or crushed it accidentally, or maybe she did nothing wrong. Since your girl has had the babies that long, could be it was failure to thrive.