Troubleshoot help: deserted nest at hatching ☹️

[Nelliebee]

Our experienced broody hen deserted the nest overnight last night, while the chicks were starting to hatch. One hatched but died, and all the others died in the egg, presumably from cold. She’s hatched a full clutch of eggs in the past and reared the chicks successfully. She’s been sitting for the whole time until now.

We did look in on her at dusk, but only for a moment and she tolerated that well last time. There was mouse poo in the feed bowl this morning, which has never happened before. Is it possible we or the mouse caused her to desert? Can anyone suggest what else might have happened?

The broody coop is securely shut and the door enters into a separate chick run inside the main hen enclosure, which is also protected from predators, so it shouldn’t have been anything large sniffing around that put her off, although it’s not impossible.

 

[nchls school]

It just happens sometimes; for obvious reasons and for no apparent reason at all. I sometimes have this happen during storms with lightning and thunder.

 

[Nelliebee]

Ok, that’s a bit reassuring at least. Are some hens more prone to deserting than others? Is she more likely to do it again in the future?

 

[nchls school]

Ok, that’s a bit reassuring at least. Are some hens more prone to deserting than others? Is she more likely to do it again in the future?

Not really. Without knowing why and that she has brooded successfully in the past, it's likely she will do just fine next time.