Poor Charlotte, lost 4 of her babies

[WriterofWords]

This morning Charlotte had 8 active little babies and now she has 4. I didn't realize she started laying again already and her eggs are now a darker brown but also larger than they were. Four of her babies were playing and the other four were missing so I picked her up to see if they were under her. They were but they were dead and they crushed inbetween 3 eggs she has laid in the last 3 days I guess. They were kind of under them and in between them, but the weight of momma on the eggs did them in. When we took them out she got horribly upset and was growling and bouncing around so I took the eggs out from under her to hopefully prevent this from happening to the other four.
I didn't realize she would lay right away, I feel awful.
K

 

[sweetshoplady]

Oh, I'm so sorry that that happened. We all make mistakes.

 

[Standard Hen]

Geeez, I did not realize that either. I am sorry but we learn as we go along.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

So sorry for your loss. I never realized that a hen could lay eggs again so soon after babies had hatched.

 

[WriterofWords]

Thanks so much. She had a few eggs that hadn't hatched and took them out from under her a few days ago. Two had pipped but never made it out and 4 never developed all the way. So she 8 out of the 14 eggs hatch, not bad for a first time and VERY young hen.
I had even gotten suspicious about someone else getting in there and laying but she doesn't leave her nest and the only other one with access is her buddy Penny who has her own nest.