# Broody's chicks are dying!!



## VVFarm

My sweet Rhode Island Red has been very dedicated to sitting on her clutch of Americana eggs. I put them under her 21 days ago and she's been great. About a week ago an egg broke and got its horrible goo all over the nest. I didn't find it until it had dried/baked in. I figured anything I would try to fix the situation would be worse than leaving it alone, so I left it. 
Over the course of today I've found three DEAD chicks. They were partly in their eggs, fully developed but dead. The hen then pushed them out of the nest. There are several eggs still under her that don't have any holes or cracks that indicate they're hatching. But neither did the dead chicks I found later in the day show signs of hatching earlier.
What is going on?! The hen has been an amazing broody and only leaves the nest for 5-10 minutes a day. The eggs are obviously fertile and have been growing chicks. Is there bacteria from the rotten egg seeping thru the pores? Or suffocating the chicks?
The hen has been so great that I really want her to be rewarded for her efforts. Never mind how much my children and I have been looking forward to this hatching.
This is my first time having my own broody hen and I'm really upset about this.


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## billiejw89

We had the same thing happen last year, a first time hen that was very dedicated to her nest. 3 chicks were found just like you described, half way in shell and squished. None of the other eggs hatched. She has gone on to have chicks this year. I think it may have been her inexperience and she accidentally smothered them. If none of the other eggs hatch maybe you could get a couple of day old chicks to place under her at night. 
Sorry for your losses.


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## VVFarm

Thank you. It's been really disappointing. If none of them hatch I do plan to get chicks for her.


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## VVFarm

I just checked under her and found two more dead half-hatched babies. The hen is still carefully protecting her clutch. I feel sick. My tender-hearted six year old has been waiting all this time for chicks and will wake up and run down to the barn to check any moment. 
I guess a trip to the feed store for chicks is on my to-do list today.


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## deerbunnyfarm

We had a similar situation with our first and only hatching... Super dedicated broody hen, found some eggs from a local farmer and counted down the days... On hatching day she killed them as they hatched. We thought the first one was a fluke, but after the second we took the rest of the eggs and made a makeshift incubator inside and stayed up all night helping them hatch as they ended up shrink-wrapped. Six out of twelve survived.


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## VVFarm

Oh that's so disappointing! I'm sorry. You did really well to save the six on your own though. That's impressive. 


I called the feed store to put a hold on a few babies. They are six days old. Is that going to work or are they too old already?


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## deerbunnyfarm

Ooh I wish I knew. Worth a shot though if you can have a backup just in case she won't take em.

I figure it's not like she has read What to Expect When You're Expecting, maybe she'll think it's normal!


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## Rise_and_Shine_Ranch

We did that once, we just couldn't let our hen go broody again and have no babies. It was heartbreaking. We didn't have a rooster so we bought chicks.

We just covered up the baby in our hand and didn't let her see it and quickly switched it for one of the ceramic eggs. She made the cutest sounds when she felt something moving around under her. She immediately cooed when she saw it. I would give it a shot. Plus, it's so cute to watch!


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## ShireRidgeFarm

Sorry about your chick-trouble! 

We had a broody buff orpington trying to hatch some eggs in the barn. I just let her go with it - we'd tried to let them hatch eggs before but they gave up half way through. She probably sat on 10 eggs or so over the course of a month and she only managed to hatch two. There were 8 eggs left when she stopped being broody, and they didn't smell nice and were rather sloshy inside... Not sure why only two made it! I figure it must be a very delicate process.


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## VVFarm

Well... here it goes....


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## VVFarm

I put the chicks under then hen and she promptly jumped up to investigate. The chicks then started moving around and I think that, along with my presence, freaked her out. She talked to them a little, took a half-hearted peck at one, flew out of the pen then right back in. She circled around the nest then settled down on the one egg I left in there. She is now sitting on her egg looking rather stressed and confused. Poor girl. The chicks are huddled next to her.
It is hot and humid in the shed they are in. I think the chicks wold be fine left there until the sun starts to sink.
Should I leave everyone alone in hopes that they'll figure it out or should I pull the chicks and try slipping them under her again after dark?


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## Petra490

Be prepared to check on those chicks every hour or so. It is very unlikely she will adopt them. She may be missing some nutrition and not feeling like she can successfully raise babies. That's why you are finding half dead chicks. This happens. It is also not uncommon for the hen to break the eggs and eat them if her condition gets weak while broody. If she still has an egg under her, take it. If you keep it warm you have a better chance for it to survive if it is not left in there.
If it was me, I wouldn't allow those chicks to stay with her. You may find them dead.


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## VVFarm

I pulled the chicks and put them in a brooder for the day. (Cutest little things around!)
Tonight after it was dark and the chickens were down for the night I slipped the chicks under the hen. She has been sitting on them and they alternate between soft content peeps and quiet. I am a basket case of nerves. I don't want these chicks to die!! 
Part of me wants to put them in the brooder so I know they'll live and my daughter doesn't have to be sad if something happens. The other part of me remembers that I got these chicks for this broody hen and I want everyone involved to have this experience. This was supposed to be simple. It's nerve-wracking!
The dog found the remaining eggs that she had been sitting on. I'd thrown them out but, yeah... dogs. The eggs had chicks inside that had clearly been dead awhile. I guess I'll never know why they died.


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## Petra490

Sorry you are stressing out. I can relate. It seems always something goes wrong with animals. The more you have, the more stress. Hopefully she will adopt them. It can go either way. I have tried this before and it didn't end up well. 
Luckily I have no small kids to cry over dead chicks, I was the only upset one. 
On the other hand I had a very dominant roosted adopt a bunch of chicks. It just can go either way, that's why I figured I better warn you.


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## catharina

Petra490 said:


> She may be missing some nutrition and not feeling like she can successfully raise babies. That's why you are finding half dead chicks. This happens. It is also not uncommon for the hen to break the eggs and eat them if her condition gets weak while broody. If she still has an egg under her, take it. If you keep it warm you have a better chance for it to survive if it is not left in there.


When I had a really determined broody hen I put a little dog dish of food next to her in the nest box so she could eat without getting up. You don't want to put water too I think, because they have to get up every once in a while so the eggs get turned or the chicks will stick to one side of the shell & die. Or so I was told. I hope your luck changes! You're really trying!:chick:


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## VVFarm

IT WORKED!!! 
The hen is happily sitting with four content chicks snuggled under her wings. It is colder & rainy today but they seem to have a mama to care for them. One of the chicks ventured out while I was watching and she pushed it back under. She's talking to them and acting very maternal.
I will keep an eye on things but it looks as if my sweet girl has been rewarded for her weeks of diligence with a cute little family.


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## billiejw89

VVFarm said:


> IT WORKED!!!
> The hen is happily sitting with four content chicks snuggled under her wings. It is colder & rainy today but they seem to have a mama to care for them. One of the chicks ventured out while I was watching and she pushed it back under. She's talking to them and acting very maternal.
> I will keep an eye on things but it looks as if my sweet girl has been rewarded for her weeks of diligence with a cute little family.


Yay!! Great news!


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## LaurelFields

I'm sorry to hear about your difficulties with the broody hen. Of course, I'm also glad it all worked out!

Reading through this, I'm starting to think that's why our first broody had three chicks that hatched perfectly fine, but were dead when found. She still managed to hatch and successfully raise two pullets.
We also have a hen whose chicks are due in two weeks. She's been trying to brood for the past three years and this year, she wouldn't be broken! So we finally decided to let her brood. Her chicks are due to hatch June 4th.  But since this is her first year, I'm a little bit worried about her ability to hatch chicks after reading through this...
I might try to get the rooster to help out with the little chicks, too. He's such a sweetheart, I'm sure he'd be one of those roosters to help out the mother.


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## Rise_and_Shine_Ranch

VVFarm said:


> IT WORKED!!!
> The hen is happily sitting with four content chicks snuggled under her wings. It is colder & rainy today but they seem to have a mama to care for them. One of the chicks ventured out while I was watching and she pushed it back under. She's talking to them and acting very maternal.
> I will keep an eye on things but it looks as if my sweet girl has been rewarded for her weeks of diligence with a cute little family.


Yay!! That's wonderful!


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## deerbunnyfarm

Yay!! Congrats!!


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## Petra490

Awesome!


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## VVFarm

I just had to share a picture of the new family. Red is so proud of her babies and they are all so cute together! (Don't scold me for the open feed dish. I'm replacing it today with a more sanitary option) Aren't they CUTE?!


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## VVFarm




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## PippasCubby

What sweet family photos! So glad it worked out!


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## catharina

:chick: What cute photos! It's good to know that a hen might accept 6 day old chicks. I'm glad your daughter finally gets to watch chicks!


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## goathiker

Very cute 

I see Barred Rocks and RIR or red commercials, whats the striped one? Favorolle?


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## BorderKelpie

goathiker said:


> Very cute
> 
> I see Barred Rocks and RIR or red commercials, whats the striped one? Favorolle?


I was guessing the little chipmonk chick is possibly an Easter Egger? S/he looks bearded.

Pretty little family.


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## goathiker

Yeah, I think you're right. She looks bearded instead of tufted.


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## VVFarm

She's an easter-egger. I added two of them to the family after the initial adoption of barred rocks and Rhode Island Reds went so well. Who knew chickens are so addictive?!


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