Only 1 chick survived the hatch. Started with 9. 7 were alive day 21 (yesterday). All but 1 does. What in the world happened? I seriously might cry.

[CasaCasarrubiasChickens]

We started with 9 eggs.
1 was infertile.
1 developed a blood ring in week 2.
4 hatched yesterday.
3 died.
3 eggs remained this morning.
I came to check on them an hour afternlast check (didn’t touch, just listened) and they were all dead. No peeping, no movement, nothing. My broody then started eating them… so that pretty much confirmed it for me.

What did I do wrong? Why did only 1 out of 7 healthy eggs survive? Yesterday morning they were all fabulous! Nobody was moved, harmed, cracked accidentally, nothing. I truly don’t get it. I am devastated. This was my first clutch ever, so you can imagine how I feel. Broody was EXCELLENT. On them ALL the time. Very protective. Never got cold. I stopped candling on day 18. Yesterday morning there were 4 pips. The other 3 never pipped externally. 1 did internally, but that’s it.

Will the one little guy/gal be okay? I have since taken him/her from mom and moved it inside into my brooder. But I worry about it getting lonely. I am afraid to give it back to mom with her eating the dead eggs. They were definitely dead before she started eating them, but it’s like she just knew and said “eff it, I starved for y’all. It won’t be for nothing” and went to chow town.

I want to make sure whatever happened here, that it at least will serve as a learning experience for me. I did not touch the eggs from days 18-22. Today was day 22, and I did delicately candle the remaining 3 for viability this morning. They were fine. I really don’t understand…

Will my one lonely chick die of loneliness? I can’t bare to lose him too. My little survivor, I NEED him to make it. I couldn’t bare him not making it.

Has anyone else ever experienced something like this? Any info, tips on how to care for my one chick, etc will be immensely appreciated. I’m considering going to tractor supply and getting friends for Lucky if they have any. I know it’s March, but this was my first hatch. I’m just ugh HEARTBROKEN!

 

[chelseachook]

We started with 9 eggs.
1 was infertile.
1 developed a blood ring in week 2.
4 hatched yesterday.
3 died.
3 eggs remained this morning.
I came to check on them an hour afternlast check (didn’t touch, just listened) and they were all dead. No peeping, no movement, nothing. My broody then started eating them… so that pretty much confirmed it for me.

What did I do wrong? Why did only 1 out of 7 healthy eggs survive? Yesterday morning they were all fabulous! Nobody was moved, harmed, cracked accidentally, nothing. I truly don’t get it. I am devastated. This was my first clutch ever, so you can imagine how I feel. Broody was EXCELLENT. On them ALL the time. Very protective. Never got cold. I stopped candling on day 18. Yesterday morning there were 4 pips. The other 3 never pipped externally. 1 did internally, but that’s it.

Will the one little guy/gal be okay? I have since taken him/her from mom and moved it inside into my brooder. But I worry about it getting lonely. I am afraid to give it back to mom with her eating the dead eggs. They were definitely dead before she started eating them, but it’s like she just knew and said “eff it, I starved for y’all. It won’t be for nothing” and went to chow town.

I want to make sure whatever happened here, that it at least will serve as a learning experience for me. I did not touch the eggs from days 18-22. Today was day 22, and I did delicately candle the remaining 3 for viability this morning. They were fine. I really don’t understand…

Will my one lonely chick die of loneliness? I can’t bare to lose him too. My little survivor, I NEED him to make it. I couldn’t bare him not making it.

Has anyone else ever experienced something like this? Any info, tips on how to care for my one chick, etc will be immensely appreciated. I’m considering going to tractor supply and getting friends for Lucky if they have any. I know it’s March, but this was my first hatch. I’m just ugh HEARTBROKEN!

I'm so sorry . Maybe your hen killed the chicks? I know it's hard to think about but I don't know why nearly all the chicks would die. Sometimes hens step on the babies. You did a good thing by bringing the chick inside. He would benefit from some little chick friends. In the meantime - make sure he has heat in the brooder and isn't too stressed. Good luck!

 

[BelovedBirds]

We started with 9 eggs.
1 was infertile.
1 developed a blood ring in week 2.
4 hatched yesterday.
3 died.
3 eggs remained this morning.
I came to check on them an hour afternlast check (didn’t touch, just listened) and they were all dead. No peeping, no movement, nothing. My broody then started eating them… so that pretty much confirmed it for me.

What did I do wrong? Why did only 1 out of 7 healthy eggs survive? Yesterday morning they were all fabulous! Nobody was moved, harmed, cracked accidentally, nothing. I truly don’t get it. I am devastated. This was my first clutch ever, so you can imagine how I feel. Broody was EXCELLENT. On them ALL the time. Very protective. Never got cold. I stopped candling on day 18. Yesterday morning there were 4 pips. The other 3 never pipped externally. 1 did internally, but that’s it.

Will the one little guy/gal be okay? I have since taken him/her from mom and moved it inside into my brooder. But I worry about it getting lonely. I am afraid to give it back to mom with her eating the dead eggs. They were definitely dead before she started eating them, but it’s like she just knew and said “eff it, I starved for y’all. It won’t be for nothing” and went to chow town.

I want to make sure whatever happened here, that it at least will serve as a learning experience for me. I did not touch the eggs from days 18-22. Today was day 22, and I did delicately candle the remaining 3 for viability this morning. They were fine. I really don’t understand…

Will my one lonely chick die of loneliness? I can’t bare to lose him too. My little survivor, I NEED him to make it. I couldn’t bare him not making it.

Has anyone else ever experienced something like this? Any info, tips on how to care for my one chick, etc will be immensely appreciated. I’m considering going to tractor supply and getting friends for Lucky if they have any. I know it’s March, but this was my first hatch. I’m just ugh HEARTBROKEN!

I'm so sorry
I would be on the side of caution and keep the chick in the brooder, do you have a heat source and everything? I can offer advice on the brooder if you aren't sure about anything, but the main thing is having a heat source and ensuring the chick is able to escape the heat if need be. A warm side and cooler side, basically. Keep the heat at one side. I'd get it a couple same aged friends ASAP. In the meantime a little mirror will help with loneliness

When you found the chicks, were they flattened, or discarded outside of the nest, wounded, any yolks left?

 

[CasaCasarrubiasChickens]

I'm so sorry
I would be on the side of caution and keep the chick in the brooder, do you have a heat source and everything? I can offer advice on the brooder if you aren't sure about anything, but the main thing is having a heat source and ensuring the chick is able to escape the heat if need be. A warm side and cooler side, basically. Keep the heat at one side. I'd get it a couple same aged friends ASAP. In the meantime a little mirror will help with loneliness

When you found the chicks, were they flattened, or discarded outside of the nest, wounded, any yolks left?

I do have a good setup in the brooder, yes. I have the thermometer in there and it is 95 +/- with a fluctuation of 2 degrees +/- at times. But the chick has plenty of room to cool off if need be, as well as consistent access to food and water. Should I be giving him electrolytes and probiotics?

I will put a mirror in there ASAP. Thank you for that idea! He cheeped all night when I went to bed. He is obviously very lonely… I feel awful for him. He wants me to keep my hand in the brooder and snuggle him. I have taught him how to eat his starter (I got Dumor 20% protein chick starter) and how to get his water. I apparently bought a quail feeder for his food So I’ll need to buy a different feeder when I go to tractor supply for his friends today.

When I found the chicks cracked open, I had already known they had died in their eggs by that time. I was actually there next to her when she cracked them open. She ate the remainder of the yolk sacs and pecked at the shell, but left the chicks bodies. She tried to sit on them at first, but I took them before she did that or tried to eat the chicks themselves and I buried them in the yard.