What could have happened to the young tits (1 Viewer)

Hi,
I recently experienced a rather shocking event in the bird box and has been asking myself what could have happened.
I have been watching the Great tit laid seven eggs but six actually hatched. The parents were feeding the chicks but on the seventh day I thought my computer screen were frozen when I switched it on around 7am, and was surprised that there wasn't any movement amongst chicks and the mother bird wasn't around. It was when the father bird came in with a mouthful of food, flew out and back in again, that I realised what had happened to the chicks.
During the pleasant time, I noticed that the mother bird ate the egg shells and instead of disposing the waste packet from the chick she ate it. It seemed rather unusual for me.
I am now wondering whether incident was due to hunger or the mother never return to keep the chicks warm during the night. I rather doubt the former because there must be at least one survival but all them parished. My question is why the mother bird failed to protect the young. Is this common and can one intervene to feed the chicks when food is scarce? Your kind comments would keep my mind at rest.

HI

Sorry to hear of this.

I think that the mother may have perished and was therefore unable to give any warmth or nourishment to the chicks. I understand that after hatching they are supposed to be kept warm the majority of the time and they will die quite quickly. It does seem strange about her eating the poo sacks they normally do take them outside. The shell would be fine as that is a good source of calcium.