Sad :-(

I came in to check on my chooks this evening and found the pullet and roo in there with the poor hen who'd been sitting on her eggs. Several of the eggs were scattered around inside the broody pen and three of them cracked open and partially eatten. The hen was still sitting tightly on six shielding them from the world but there were seven eggs more scattered around in the sawdust.

The three cracked ones had been fertile ones, I could see the poor little chicks dead in the shell. Nothing to do for them so I put them aside and gathered the remaining ones up the hen wasn't on. They were all pretty chilled, cold to the touch but no cracks visible. I've no idea how long they weren't under her but obviously long enough for them to get cold and the chicks in the opened ones to have died. They were fine as of 11am this morning. I put them back under her and I'm hoping they will survive - I guess I'll know if I see movement in them still in a few days. But I've no idea what their chances are given that they were so chilled and possibly kicked around enough to detach the embryos or damage the blood vessel network. Poor little things, cross your fingers for them folks!