Shrink wrap chicks under a hen?

[tdbusey]

5 of 7 chicks hatched like this under the hen and not in an incubator. They all lived but could not get out on their own. It was a very stressful 24 hours helping them hatch. They hatched 2 days earlier than expected. I'd expect this with a humidity problem in an incubator but not under momma hen. Any ideas?

 

[sourland]

Is she an especially large hen ? Were other hens bothering her on the nest ? Looks more like she was inadvertently crushing the eggs rather than shrink wrapping.

 

[tdbusey]

No... Not a heavy gal and once they started pipping I blocked the other chickens off.

 

[Rtodorov]

5 of 7 chicks hatched like this under the hen and not in an incubator. They all lived but could not get out on their own. It was a very stressful 24 hours helping them hatch. They hatched 2 days earlier than expected. I'd expect this with a humidity problem in an incubator but not under momma hen. Any ideas?

Is mama trying to help and cracking the shell?

 

[tdbusey]

Is mama trying to help and cracking the shell?

She didn't seem to have any interest in helping them out. She would just keep them under her.