I've got 5 chicks that hatched under a broody this week, which is always so exciting! None of them are pure anything, so it will be fun to see what they turn into.
Anyway, yesterday morning I went out to check on mama and babies, and one of the chicks had gotten out of the nest box in the night and couldn't get back up into it. I found it stretched out on the ground, cold and completely stiff, apparently dead. I couldn't detect any breathing, and I held it up to my ear to see if I could hear any faint peeping but it was silent. Its eyes were set and not moving. We were on our way to town, so I put it down in the bottom of a big plastic garbage bin where it would be safe from the cats and other chickens, so I could take care of it when we got home.
About four hours later when we were unloading the car at home I hear this desperate peeping, and I headed toward the coop to check on the babies. As I passed the garbage can I realized the sound was coming from inside of it. The little "dead" chick was up on its feet, peeping desperately. I picked it up, and it was all warm and active. When I put it back with mama it quickly scooted underneath her. Now it's the most active, hungry baby of the bunch. I couldn't believe my eyes and ears! So of course its name had to be Miracle.
To top off this chicky experience, I had one chick that I completely hatched out of the egg myself. It was 36 hours after the rest when I picked into the shell and detected movement. So I left it for a few hours, and there was no progress. I couldn't bear to see it die, so yesterday evening I just opened the shell up carefully and set the baby under mama. An hour or so later I went out to check and the poor thing was all cold and nearly dead. I thought that maybe I should put it out of its misery, but I thought about Miracle and decided to stick baby under mama again and give it a chance. You should see it this afternoon! It's all fluffy and cute and improving! It's starting to get up onto its feet, and is eating and drinking. I am calling this one Survivor.
Chickens amaze me! No matter how many chicks I have, I never tire of watching the new little ones hatch, and the experiences I've had are priceless. Go Miracle and Survivor Go!!
Anyway, yesterday morning I went out to check on mama and babies, and one of the chicks had gotten out of the nest box in the night and couldn't get back up into it. I found it stretched out on the ground, cold and completely stiff, apparently dead. I couldn't detect any breathing, and I held it up to my ear to see if I could hear any faint peeping but it was silent. Its eyes were set and not moving. We were on our way to town, so I put it down in the bottom of a big plastic garbage bin where it would be safe from the cats and other chickens, so I could take care of it when we got home.
About four hours later when we were unloading the car at home I hear this desperate peeping, and I headed toward the coop to check on the babies. As I passed the garbage can I realized the sound was coming from inside of it. The little "dead" chick was up on its feet, peeping desperately. I picked it up, and it was all warm and active. When I put it back with mama it quickly scooted underneath her. Now it's the most active, hungry baby of the bunch. I couldn't believe my eyes and ears! So of course its name had to be Miracle.
To top off this chicky experience, I had one chick that I completely hatched out of the egg myself. It was 36 hours after the rest when I picked into the shell and detected movement. So I left it for a few hours, and there was no progress. I couldn't bear to see it die, so yesterday evening I just opened the shell up carefully and set the baby under mama. An hour or so later I went out to check and the poor thing was all cold and nearly dead. I thought that maybe I should put it out of its misery, but I thought about Miracle and decided to stick baby under mama again and give it a chance. You should see it this afternoon! It's all fluffy and cute and improving! It's starting to get up onto its feet, and is eating and drinking. I am calling this one Survivor.
Chickens amaze me! No matter how many chicks I have, I never tire of watching the new little ones hatch, and the experiences I've had are priceless. Go Miracle and Survivor Go!!
