Null Chicks

We decide to sit one of the broody hens, on previous experience a good broody,  on a clutch of eggs
the hen was rehoused  to give her more room and make it a bit more strightforward to keep her topped up with water and feed.

But we found eggs abandoned in the run - and broken shells. And the 12 eggs were eventually reduced to 2, that the hen continused to sit faithfully on .

And we got to term + a week, and something  wasn't right.

And we found the hen with a broken, partially developed chick under her.

 and another one in the run

We think there must have been something (? a rat)  that has been getting in the run , stealing eggs abd frightening the hen off the eggs , so they got too cold, and the chick died.

Its unlikely we will get another hen going broody this late in the season ,  so it will ahve to be next year when we try again if we want more hens