First hatch with a broody!

[PatriciaPNW]

Ended in tragedy:
. It was a sad week for me.

So sorry. It hurts. I always feel so responsible. I’m always a step behind in protecting and caring for the animals AND nature is harsh - tough combination. My sympathy.

 

[PatriciaPNW]

So sorry that happened. Hopefully, if you have a broody hen in the future, you can give her a private place to hatch her eggs.

I did that and that’s when the rat broke in. Tough to stay ahead of it all.

 

[Beekissed]

Ended in tragedy:

I started with 3 eggs but then egg #3 was a dud and Dazzle ate it. About a week later, Dazzle ate egg #2....which was probably a dud too. The last egg kept growing and started to hatch on day 21. But then, the sad part: The other chickens saw it hatching (Dazzle was off the nest for some reason) and started eating it. They all fought over it and ate it. I was mad at them for two days...but now I understand and "forgive" them. I'm super sad just talking about it and hope I will be successful next year. It was a sad week for me.

You might try moving your broody away from the flock next time? Never a good idea to keep those two groups together without a way for her to protect her nest.

Did you see this event, the chick hatching and the other chickens eating it or did she leave the nest because it had died in the shell and they merely cleaned it up?

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Are they YOUR hens eggs? The hen appears to be a gold Wyandotte, and your roo is???

Probably not a snake, it would have come back for other two. Plus, a hen will discard a dud, often consume it.

So, somewhere between Sat & Mon we should see pics of chicks

I have a hen broody now. But, not wanting chicks late Nov!

Are they YOUR hens eggs? The hen appears to be a gold Wyandotte, and your roo is???
No, they are not mine. A friend gave them to me when I said I wanted to hatch some eggs with a very stubborn broody!
Probably not a snake, it would have come back for other two. Plus, a hen will discard a dud, often consume it.
Really? I new hens would push duds out of the nest and the other hens would often eat them, but I never knew the broody herself would eat the egg! Wow, I guess I learn something new every day, lol.
So, somewhere between Sat & Mon we should see pics of chicks
Oh boy! Wow! I CAN'T WAIT! I will definitely show you all pictures!!
I have a hen broody now. But, not wanting chicks late Nov!
Well then, have fun braking her!

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Yeah, but, ANOTHER EGG IS GONE! Now only one left. Whats up with that????

It's most likely that the broody hen ate the dead egg. It's their natural behavior. They know when an egg dies. Instead of leaving it in the nest to possibly explode and contaminate the viable eggs, she will eat it. This keeps the nest clean and gives her some much needed protein during this stressful time.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I've been on BYC hoping to find out more info, and I think I know. She ate one of the eggs about 1-2 weeks ago and it was probably a dud, then she found out the next one was a dud and ate it too. Now only one left and she's sitting on it...? Well, maybe, just maybe it will hatch.....

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Today is day 19. Should hatch in two days, but to bad I'm sick right now.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Ended in tragedy:

I started with 3 eggs but then egg #3 was a dud and Dazzle ate it. About a week later, Dazzle ate egg #2....which was probably a dud too. The last egg kept growing and started to hatch on day 21. But then, the sad part: The other chickens saw it hatching (Dazzle was off the nest for some reason) and started eating it. They all fought over it and ate it. I was mad at them for two days...but now I understand and "forgive" them. I'm super sad just talking about it and hope I will be successful next year. It was a sad week for me.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Thank you everyone. 😢

@Beekissed, the egg was hatching, and I think she got of to take a drink? Not sure. The others found it while eating a snack in the coop (I with they were in the run!) and ate it. *Sigh* well, maybe next time.