I recently had a couple chicks not survive a hatch under a broody and I'm curious to know what may have happened and if anyone more experienced has some suggestions for what I could have done better? I should mention this is only my 2nd time hatching chicks.
We have 1 duck and 3 hens sitting on a nest of chicken eggs with another duck sitting beside them on duck eggs. When I went to check on the eggs a few days ago, I noticed 3 chicken eggs were pushed out of the nest. I was going to toss them, but noticed they were still very warm and knew they were quite far along. There were 3 birds fighting over space in the nest and unsure why they were thrown out, I stuck them under the 2nd duck in her nest not knowing what to expect, but this may have been a mistake.
Anyway the next morning I found 3 dead chicks all outside of the nest, none fully dry, the membrane still partially covering the lower half of the one, the other out of it's membrane, but laying in half of it's shell. A 4th hen was sitting on the 3rd dead chick, it was outside its shell but hadn't fully absorbed its yolk. Any suggestions for what I could have done better? Or what may have happened?
As they've been hatching I've been moving mama and babies to a pen in our basement. I only move a mother with chicks and at that time I bring any eggs that have pipped with her. I've been leaving the remaining eggs with the other broodies in the nest. Is this a good way to be going about it?
Thanks in advance.
We have 1 duck and 3 hens sitting on a nest of chicken eggs with another duck sitting beside them on duck eggs. When I went to check on the eggs a few days ago, I noticed 3 chicken eggs were pushed out of the nest. I was going to toss them, but noticed they were still very warm and knew they were quite far along. There were 3 birds fighting over space in the nest and unsure why they were thrown out, I stuck them under the 2nd duck in her nest not knowing what to expect, but this may have been a mistake.
Anyway the next morning I found 3 dead chicks all outside of the nest, none fully dry, the membrane still partially covering the lower half of the one, the other out of it's membrane, but laying in half of it's shell. A 4th hen was sitting on the 3rd dead chick, it was outside its shell but hadn't fully absorbed its yolk. Any suggestions for what I could have done better? Or what may have happened?
As they've been hatching I've been moving mama and babies to a pen in our basement. I only move a mother with chicks and at that time I bring any eggs that have pipped with her. I've been leaving the remaining eggs with the other broodies in the nest. Is this a good way to be going about it?
Thanks in advance.
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