Sleigh
Songster
Last night was day 21 of my black australorp's (Grace) brood sitting on a nest of her own egg and ceramic eggs. Our plan was to slip three baby chicks under her at night. We got the day-old babies yesterday morning. At 10 pm last night, we made the exchange - eggs for chicks. Things went fine, chicks cheeping, mama readjusting. I checked two more times between 10:40 and midnight. All was well.
Got up this morning, two of the chicks had wandered away. I was worried about the third. Checked under mama; chick was there. I pulled her out to make sure she was alive. Mama attacked it with a ferocity unexpected. Grace is a gentle hen, but this was a hen with an intent to kill. Horrified, I got them separated. Baby appears physically fine.
The three chicks are now back in the house in the brooder. I moved Grace to the nursery we have set up, which we hoped to do with the chicks this morning. She was agitated by the move, but I put the eggs back in the brooder box. After wandered around and eating for the first time in days, she resumed sitting on the ceramic eggs.
My question (aside from good golly, Grace, what the heck!?) can/should I try again tonight?
Got up this morning, two of the chicks had wandered away. I was worried about the third. Checked under mama; chick was there. I pulled her out to make sure she was alive. Mama attacked it with a ferocity unexpected. Grace is a gentle hen, but this was a hen with an intent to kill. Horrified, I got them separated. Baby appears physically fine.
The three chicks are now back in the house in the brooder. I moved Grace to the nursery we have set up, which we hoped to do with the chicks this morning. She was agitated by the move, but I put the eggs back in the brooder box. After wandered around and eating for the first time in days, she resumed sitting on the ceramic eggs.
My question (aside from good golly, Grace, what the heck!?) can/should I try again tonight?
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