This is my 2nd hatch. I hatched 14 out of 16 just 9/10 days ago - all perfectly lovely chicks. There was a good day in between 1st and last to hatch and sure there was a lot of pecking and bullying going on, but they're all normal chickeny chicks.
WELL... today I hatched my 1st Ameraucana chick from a wonderful BYC'er. I have fretted over these eggs like crazy - a stinkin tornado came through and we lost power for over 24 hours and had to find a generator so I wouldn't lose these eggs - and to keep my sweet chickies warm. I really wasn't sure if they would make it and I was so excited when the first little one pipped last night and hatched this morning at about 5:30 am. This chick peeped its little head off all day long and I was so anxious for another to hatch - thinking that it was lonely and needed companionship. Luckily a 2nd finally hatched around 6 pm and I was so relieved until that darn 1st chick attacked the poor thing constantly. After an hour of its feathers being pecked out and covering the floor of the incubator I did what I swore to myself I wouldn't do and pulled the rotten chick out and stuck it in the brooder. I thought having more room and some food and things to peck at may have chilled it out, so when it started up with the nonstop alarm peeps that I was afraid would wake up my 2 babies I grabbed the 2nd chick and put it in there. And guess what??? The evil chick attacked it again! The poor thing was shaking and terrified and bright red from being pecked again. I kept thinking they would work it out and gave it a couple of hours, but it just didn't stop. So again, like an idiot, here I go and grab the poor thing and stick it back in the incubator. So now I've opened the incubator 3 times. And I swear I think I might kill this other chick. You can hear it throughout the entire 2 story house. There are feathers all over the place. It even seems to be plucking out its own feathers and pecking its own feet! What is wrong with this thing??? I AM NOT going to open the incubator again. Luckily, the thing holds humidity well - its the ReptiPro 5000 - but what do I do with this chick?? My husband suggested I put it in with the older chicks so they could teach it a lesson, but I dunno...
Any suggestions????? (Other than not to open the incubator. I know, I know!!!) Did I just hatch pure evil in cute fluffy chick form??? Is this going to be the worst chicken ever? Help!
WELL... today I hatched my 1st Ameraucana chick from a wonderful BYC'er. I have fretted over these eggs like crazy - a stinkin tornado came through and we lost power for over 24 hours and had to find a generator so I wouldn't lose these eggs - and to keep my sweet chickies warm. I really wasn't sure if they would make it and I was so excited when the first little one pipped last night and hatched this morning at about 5:30 am. This chick peeped its little head off all day long and I was so anxious for another to hatch - thinking that it was lonely and needed companionship. Luckily a 2nd finally hatched around 6 pm and I was so relieved until that darn 1st chick attacked the poor thing constantly. After an hour of its feathers being pecked out and covering the floor of the incubator I did what I swore to myself I wouldn't do and pulled the rotten chick out and stuck it in the brooder. I thought having more room and some food and things to peck at may have chilled it out, so when it started up with the nonstop alarm peeps that I was afraid would wake up my 2 babies I grabbed the 2nd chick and put it in there. And guess what??? The evil chick attacked it again! The poor thing was shaking and terrified and bright red from being pecked again. I kept thinking they would work it out and gave it a couple of hours, but it just didn't stop. So again, like an idiot, here I go and grab the poor thing and stick it back in the incubator. So now I've opened the incubator 3 times. And I swear I think I might kill this other chick. You can hear it throughout the entire 2 story house. There are feathers all over the place. It even seems to be plucking out its own feathers and pecking its own feet! What is wrong with this thing??? I AM NOT going to open the incubator again. Luckily, the thing holds humidity well - its the ReptiPro 5000 - but what do I do with this chick?? My husband suggested I put it in with the older chicks so they could teach it a lesson, but I dunno...
Any suggestions????? (Other than not to open the incubator. I know, I know!!!) Did I just hatch pure evil in cute fluffy chick form??? Is this going to be the worst chicken ever? Help!
