What did we do wrong?

[KyCoop]

I say we as in the broody hen and me. My 4yr old BA has been broody off and on her whole life. This year, we were "blessed" with an accidental rooster in my purchase of 7 spring chicks. ZZ had been doing his job so when Ruth went broody again I set 5 eggs under her. She is a good broody very tight to the nest. A couple days ago I heard the eggs calling so I knew I had live chicks. Today was hatch day. I went out this morning checked on her but did not disturb her too much as it is still raining. Thanks Hurricane. I just went out again and didn't hear anything so I lifted her up and under her were 3 dead chicks. Perfectly formed, no damage but gone. She still has 2 eggs. One was pipped but I don't think it's alive and no signs of anything on the other.
Did she squish them or sufficient them? What did we do wrong?

 

[Debbie292d]

Are there other hens that could have killed them? It's either that, or she did it. If the latter, she's just not a good momma hen is my guess. Most are good but some are clueless. I have a pair of moms because one was clueless and ran away from 5 chicks faster than they could follow. Another hen clucked a few times so they went to her.

If there isn't a chance that another chicken didn't kill those, then I'd not use this hen again to hatch eggs.

 

[Perris]

A couple days ago I heard the eggs calling so I knew I had live chicks

under her were 3 dead chicks. Perfectly formed, no damage

This suggests that neither she nor any other bird attacked them. My guess - and I have had lots of different broodies raising lots of clutches over the years - is that they died of dehydration, because

She still has 2 eggs

and she was waiting for them to hatch, and knew if she left the nest with the ones that had already hatched to find water for them, it would probably kill the one in the process of hatching - this one

One was pipped but I don't think it's alive and no signs of anything on the other

Did she squish them or sufficient them? What did we do wrong?

Neither in all likelihood. She is a novice. You are a novice. She made a mistake, and will have realized it by now. Next time she will probably prioritize the already hatched over the late developer(s) and you may be left with a half-hatched chick or one dead in shell. It can be tough, but it's not because anyone did anything wrong; it's just life, and death. Be kind to your failed broody. She needs your sympathy and support. She has been sitting for 3 weeks and she heard their cheeping and felt their hatching and now they are dead. She will probably do better next time, if she gets the urge again. She will certainly be more experienced; you can't teach experience, you have to live it.

 

[KyCoop]

Thank you. I will be kind to Ruth. We just both made mistakes being a first time for both of us. I have faith in her to be a good Mom and she didn't kill them on purpose. She is not "normal". She had always been gentle and protective of sick or injured hens in the flock so I'm sure this was an accident.
I ll see how she recovers from this broody cycle and try again in the Spring.

 

[redinator]

I say we as in the broody hen and me. My 4yr old BA has been broody off and on her whole life. This year, we were "blessed" with an accidental rooster in my purchase of 7 spring chicks. ZZ had been doing his job so when Ruth went broody again I set 5 eggs under her. She is a good broody very tight to the nest. A couple days ago I heard the eggs calling so I knew I had live chicks. Today was hatch day. I went out this morning checked on her but did not disturb her too much as it is still raining. Thanks Hurricane. I just went out again and didn't hear anything so I lifted her up and under her were 3 dead chicks. Perfectly formed, no damage but gone. She still has 2 eggs. One was pipped but I don't think it's alive and no signs of anything on the other.
Did she squish them or sufficient them? What did we do wrong?

You mentioned a hurricane, I wonder if the weather had something to do with it. If the weather was bad and it's her first time hatching eggs she may've gotten over zealous in her attempts to keep them safe/warm.

 

[KyCoop]

That's what I think happened. The babies were stacked on top of each other as if they had no room to move at all. I believe as they hatched she just kept tucking them under and closing them in. They were not fluffy as if they had been out and let dry.
I think had it not been for the bad weather we would have had a better out come. She just protected them a little TOO good.

 

[Altairsky]

I suggest to let her sit on fake eggs for 3 days, and then put 7-8 fertile eggs under her all the same day. Try to avoid staggered hatches and always aim to have all chicks hatch the same day. You can candle the eggs once on day 10 so you can get rid of possible sterile eggs.
Mark the eggs with a pencil so you can take out extra eggs that other hens might lay.