Oh they’ve been eating each other’s toes a lot! And not just pecking. They’ll grab a toe and pull, and shake their head to try to tear it off! Little beasts. But their toes look SO much like worms... Can you blame them?
That’s why I like to start challenging them earlyChicks don't read that stuff!
Hahah my mom has to hatch chicks every year for her class (she hates birds so i get stuck handling them) and they always eat each other’s toes heheh
Thanks! I’m feeding them medicated starter. Want to give them as much protection as I can.
All of the chickies are oh so cute! I especially like the white one perched on the feeder that looks like a cotton ball with a toe!
You’re right, it does!
That was the first to hatch, and is the largest and the lightest in color. It’s a Lemon Cuckoo Orpington.
Looks like it just broke the membrane and died before progressing any further. I did an eggtopsy and saw that it was malpositioned, “feet over head”. I read that they can’t externally pip or zip in this position, but can hatch with a full assist. But I couldn’t have known when it pipped exactly, to go assist... By the time I saw the internal pip, there was already no movement. I already have 4 hatched of this type (the Barnevelders) and don’t need any more, so I’m not torn up over the loss. It was good to get an explanation and closure. I’m still really bummed about that partridge though!
I opened the egg with the internal pip. It was, indeed, an internal pip, but the chick was dead
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I’m extra curious because this was one of the most active chicks during incubation. I even marked it with a smiley face (part of which you can see in the photo) so I’d know to grab that one when candling with the kids, because it was guaranteed to make back flips in there and be fun to watch...
