Oh No, Chicks hatched and died.

[pgpoultry]

I don't know what went wrong. Two hens broody, 8 eggs under each one, both ejected two at a fairly early stage. Yesterday one hen hatched three eggs, the other hatched one, loud cheeping heard. Later in the evening ominous silence, so I did what I wouldn't normally do, raised the hens. Oh no, two out of three dead under first hen. Chicks fully out of shells but not fluffed up and second hen with half hatched chick dead in the shell (Broodies in separate houses)

What happened? Not had this awful experience before.
Anybody any ideas?
The remaining chick is nicely fluffed and installed under mum's wing.
Sandie

 

[greenpeeps]

Oh, I'm so sorry. I wish I could help

 

[Mahonri]

Sounds like new unexperienced mommas.

Perhaps you could buy them some chicks at the feed store to raise?

 

[pgpoultry]

Thank you, It just seems horrid when the little chicks have fought their way out of the shell.

They are definitely inexperienced. Two Brahma hens who came into lay, laid about 10 eggs each and then both went exceedingly broody. Initially I kept them away from their favoured brooding sites etc. and they rejoined the flock, only to go broody again within a few days. I gave them eggs which had embryo development from the incubator at day 11, with one being so broody I have had to lift her from the eggs daily as she went 5 days without water or food until I did so.

I saw a live chick under one of the hens this morning (the one who had two dead chicks). This hen has since tossed out a broken egg with a chick that had obviously died in the shell some days ago, putrid and with large yolk sac, along with some shells from the hatched chicks. I hope this 'nest spring cleaning' means that she is sorting herself out.

I am keeping my fingers very much crossed,

Thanks for the kind words,
Sandie

 

[pgpoultry]

Well, All's well that ends well

The rookies have rallied and now have 3 live chicks under each of them. Though we are not out of the woods yet they seem to have the hang of what they need to do and seem SO proud of themselves (I am proud of them too as I didn't expect anything positive from their efforts)

sandie

 

[georgialee]

I'm glad they started figuring things out!