What's your question? Ask

Yes, hens and chicks plants are quite cold-hardy and will survive temperatures down to -20 or -30 degrees F.

As seen in the pictures with the following articles, hens and chicks plants produce baby plants (the "chicks") on branches which grow from a center plant (the "hen"). The baby plants can naturally have more purplish leaves that may appear brown, but if those leaves are dry or shriveled, they are unhealthy for some reason.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/hens-chicks/growing-hens-and-chicks.htm
http://www.youngs-garden.com/blog/propagate-hens-chicks/

The whole plant may need water: feel the surface of the soil to see if it has dried out. Succulents need less water than most plants, but they do need some. If they are squishy, on the other hand, that means they are rotting and have been overwatered.

You can either remove the baby plants if you don't want them, or let them keep growing and use them to make more plants, as described in the articles.

No, they have little tiny round leaves. You could have contaminated soil.
I found this link that has a seedling image.

It would be wonderful if every plant or tree we every planted was successful, but sometimes that is not the case.
Starting with well cared for nursery stock helps and then mother nature plays a very large part.

Light, sandy soil is preferred for this shrub. Well draining soil is very important. Watering new planting is very important in the first few weeks and then you can generally taper off.

Most reputable garden centers offer a guarantee or replacement of plants that perish in the first year of planting.

Here is a link to refresh you on the care requirements.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/elaeagnus/russian-olive-information.htm

It is possible for Hens & Chicks to get overcrowded but not for a couple of years, when you'll have a mother plant and plenty of chicks. Go ahead & plant the two that you have with enough room to let them spread their underground runners: leave about twice as much space between them as the width of the largest plant. Here's some more information about how to grow Hens & Chicks: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/hens-chicks/growing-hens-and-chicks.htm

Here is an article that will help you.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/ants-in-houseplants.htm

Your succulent may be producing a flower, it also will grow tall if not getting enough sunlight.

If succulents don’t get enough sunlight they begin to grow tall and stretch out. Find out how to prevent stretching and how to “fix” succulents that are already stretched out.
Leave at least an inch or two on the base with 2-3 leaves. The base will do best if you leave a few leaves to catch the sunlight.

While I’ve had bare stems send out new offshoots, generally they put out new offshoots faster if you keep a few leaves. If the cutting (the top part you cut off) is too tall for your liking you can cut off some of the stem to make the cutting shorter. Be sure to leave some stem so you can plant it in soil later.

Let both the cutting and the base dry out for a few days. Once the end of the cutting has calloused over (dried out completely and looks “scabbed”) you can plant it in soil and begin watering it. I’ve found that cuttings need to be watered slightly more often than a fully rooted plant, but not much. Make sure you are using a really well draining soil.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/scgen/succulent-plant-info.htm