𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 2𝐤22 ~ Flo's Hatch-A-Long ~

[BigBlueHen53]

One of the two eggs hatched this morning.
It was black. It passed away for an unknown reason.

It’s now buried along with little Blondie .



I’m giving the final egg until tomorrow evening.

Here's hoping!

 

[All4Eggz]

Here's hoping!

Flo must’ve had a bad feeling about the final egg. She abandoned the egg, and I went to check on them and the egg was cold.

I cracked open the egg to see if there was any development - luckily, no development. I say luckily because I wouldn’t have wanted Flo to abandon a possible chick.

All I saw inside the egg is blue mush… probably the hardened egg white. Very smelly.

Spoiler: photo: rotten egg contents

I am a little disappointed about this hatch, but it could’ve been worse.
5 chicks now. Flo’s officially off the nest!

 

[All4Eggz]

Terrible news, folks.

Flo, after being let out for a couple hours (with the chicks), was resting in the run with the chicks under her. I thought they were all warming up, so I didn’t bother checking. I come back, and I see only THREE chicks under Flo. We’re looking everywhere.

2 are gone. Only 3 black ones left.



It must’ve been a hawk. No sign of chicks anywhere.

I’m devastated.

ETA: To add on to our worries, one of the remaining black chicks has splayed legs.

Why does this happen to me. Why.

 

[Iluveggers]

Terrible news, folks.

Flo, after being let out for a couple hours (with the chicks), was resting in the run with the chicks under her. I thought they were all warming up, so I didn’t bother checking. I come back, and I see only THREE chicks under Flo. We’re looking everywhere.

2 are gone. Only 3 black ones left.



It must’ve been a hawk. No sign of chicks anywhere.

I’m devastated.

ETA: To add on to our worries, one of the remaining black chicks has splayed legs.

Why does this happen to me. Why.

Oh no…I’m so sorry.

 

[All4Eggz]

The last 3 musketeers.

Mr. Splayed Leg.

I was so excited for Chippy to grow up. Last year we also had a Chipmunk looking chick hatch, and it was also killed by a predator. The same thing happened again. I’m devastated.

We had a chick a few years back that hatched with splayed legs and curled toes as well. We used a cardboard/tape method to keep the toes straight. Slowly but surely, the roo was walking almost normally, except he had some trouble mating the hens.. and I didn’t want the splayed legs to pass to his offspring, so he was culled before we hatched any more chicks.

Any ideas for treating splayed legs are greatly appreciated.

 

[Isadora]

I'm so sorry, Ben.

 

[cherrynberry]

The last 3 musketeers.
View attachment 3017573View attachment 3017574View attachment 3017575


Mr. Splayed Leg.

I was so excited for Chippy to grow up. Last year we also had a Chipmunk looking chick hatch, and it was also killed by a predator. The same thing happened again. I’m devastated.

That's not splayed, looks more like a limp.

Sorry about Chippy.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Terrible news, folks.

Flo, after being let out for a couple hours (with the chicks), was resting in the run with the chicks under her. I thought they were all warming up, so I didn’t bother checking. I come back, and I see only THREE chicks under Flo. We’re looking everywhere.

2 are gone. Only 3 black ones left.



It must’ve been a hawk. No sign of chicks anywhere.

I’m devastated.

ETA: To add on to our worries, one of the remaining black chicks has splayed legs.

Why does this happen to me. Why.

Oh no! I'm sorry! I had just congratulated Flo on having hatched 5 chicks. I deleted it. It's so sad when this happens. My first broody hatch consisted of 8 beautiful chicks, hatched under 4 BO hens. A few weeks later we had three left, two pullets and a cockerel. I think only the cockerel survived to adulthood. It happens to everybody. It's the circle of life. Fortunately, every hen produces hundreds of eggs in her lifetime to guarantee she wiil, at the very least, replace herself. Chin up, Ben. Don't take it personally.

 

[All4Eggz]

That's not splayed, looks more like a limp.

Sorry about Chippy.

It usually drags it’s feet when following Flo. Isn’t that splayed leg?

 

[cherrynberry]

It usually drags it’s feet when following Flo. Isn’t that splayed leg?

Splayed leg is when they can't keep in underneath them and they basically have it out on the side. https://images.app.goo.gl/oiaxjZv2HGnAYpqs6 Here is a good example image.