Newly hatched chick dead in nest

[Bicoastal]

First-time hens, eggs have been candled, staggered hatch I guess. Ten live chicks so far. But one dead yesterday morning, and a second dead this morning. Both were fully formed, fluffy, warm, and under hen in the nest.

First chick’s body was stuck to the bedding. So I’m guessing yolk wasn’t fully absorbed. Second chick fully formed, dry, and warm.

It seems they hatch overnight, are in the nest under sleeping hen, but die during the night.

After the first ten hatched, am I supposed to change bedding? Or Is there any other management I can change to reduce chicks dieing immediately after hatch?

Any reason why this is happening? Simply weak chicks that would die whether a broody or an incubator?

I tried a forum search without luck. Surely this isn’t unusual?

Attaching a photo of babies to lift our hearts after this sad subject.

 

[SmiYa0126]

I'm sorry

 

[Bicoastal]

One more live chick and one more dead chick in the nest. I don’t understand why they are dieing.

 

[Chicalina]

Sometimes when you have a lot of chicks, the hen can accidentally stand on them.

They may just have been weak and would have died anyway.

If she is still hatching eggs and has 2 day olds then they won't have eaten or drunk and could have gone past their yolk allowance.

Just a few guesses.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

By my count she hatched 12 chicks so far, is that correct? My thought was that she may be accidently crushing her chicks with her body as she shifts her weight overnight. I had that happen with a broody that had 13 new chicks; the next morn I discovered 2 dead chicks. The broody was experienced (at 8 years old is currently raising her 2nd clutch this year), and that one instance is the only time I've ever found dead chicks in the nest box. So hopefully you never have this experience again.

How many more eggs does she still have to hatch? She will need to bring her chicks out to eat and drink soon, meaning she will be forced to abandon any remaining unhatched eggs.

 

[Bicoastal]

I have been taking the chicks, usually in the morning. Hen goes back to setting. This afternoon I spied another one so I took it and discovered another dead in the nest.

So after that initial hatch of 10, there’s been a ratio of 1 live and 1 dead in the nest.

Total count is 12 live, 4 dead. The deceased chicks are fully formed, dry and fluffy, and well covered by the hen. They tend to be under eggs. Are they suffocating?

These are first-year hens. Of course I’m trying to learn if there’s something I can change to change this pattern.

 

[LaFleche]

They tend to be under eggs.

The nest might be too narrow/deep for such an amount of eggs hatching in staggered time line.

Usually the newly hatched chicks will creep to the back and snuggle into the broody's butt fluff to dry out and recover so they will not be in the way of the others hatching. If the nest is too narrow there will be no space for them to get away from their hatching siblings and the feet of the broody which will lift herself every now and then to make room for the hatchlings.

 

[Tonyroo]

That seems like a lot of chicks for one hen to manage.