Okay, I know some of ya'all here will understand. My bantam cochin hen went broody and I let her sit on her and her hatchmate's eggs, instead of putting big girl eggs under her like last time. She had 8 eggs. I didn't really keep track of when she started sitting cause I got a little obsessive last time, so figured I'd just let her do her thing. So, two chicks hatch out within about 12 hours of each other. Cute, healthy, the works. So I keep waiting. Hen was in a rubbermaid tote (to keep hatchmate away) that's too small to put a waterer in, so I scooped her and the chicks up and tipped the tote on it's side a little over 24 hours after the second chick hatched, so they could get food and water. The hen stayed on the nest most that night, the next am the eggs were kinda pushed to the side and she was brooding the chicks beside them. I kinda bunched them back up and she was happy to sit on them, on and off all day. The next am the eggs were scattered around, so I figure she's done and pick them up. I'm disappointed, only 2 out of 8 hatch, but okay. So, of course one of the eggs I pick up has pipped. I'm looking at it, and the chick starts peeping in the egg. Great, now I can't just throw it out! I chip shell away and get a little blond chick, it had already absorbed the yolk so I think maybe it has a chance. Tuck it under momma, she's okay with that. My dh said it was running around a few hours later, chirping and staying with momma and hatchmates. But then a few hours later it was dead. Not attacked or pecked at all, just flipped over dead. I pretty much knew it wouldn't make it, and I'm really a non-interventionist, but when the darn thing was peeping, what else could I do? I went ahead and chucked the rest of the eggs, I'm really not interested in trying to help special needs chicks. I knew the whole time it didn't have much chance, but I'm still kinda sad.
i dont get why it died though
