Chick Using Me as an Elevator

[centrarchid]

I have a single game chick being reared by a game pullet (no his mommy). Chick is about 10 days old so not quite able to fly. Without my intervention each evening, the chick would have died the first night out of the nest. The birds are kept in one of those pre-fabricated coops with elevated nests. The hen goes back to the nest each evening leaving the chick to holler until I pick him up and place him where he can run the rest of the way to his parent. The first few nights the chick would flee from me but not too hard. Then it just waited for me to pick it up. Now it runs to me and pecks my hand rather hard as it jumps up into my palm to be lifted.

An experienced hen or a larger brood would likely not have me so involved as hen would stay down until brood able to follow her up.

 

[DobieLover]

I have a single game chick being reared by a game pullet (no his mommy). Chick is about 10 days old so not quite able to fly. Without my intervention each evening, the chick would have died the first night out of the nest. The birds are kept in one of those pre-fabricated coops with elevated nests. The hen goes back to the nest each evening leaving the chick to holler until I pick him up and place him where he can run the rest of the way to his parent. The first few nights the chick would flee from me but not too hard. Then it just waited for me to pick it up. Now it runs to me and pecks my hand rather hard as it jumps up into my palm to be lifted.

An experienced hen or a larger brood would likely not have me so involved as hen would stay down until brood able to follow her up.

Cute.