do i intervene?

[LadyLuck]

I put the baby back under mom. The baby has two eyes, head, beak. the "blob" is a bare area on its neck. I can't determine if it is injured or what. It was peeping and wiggling strongly, so I am not willing to put it down yet. If it appears to be dying or suffering, I will.


this picture was taken two hours ago (maybe closer to 3)


at this point, egg was under mom (I didn't know, picked up mom and saw it, snapped pic and immediately left mom alone).


An hour and a half after that I took this picture,

baby is completely out, but no longer under mom. has flopped its way over to the edge of the nest and is breaking and wiggling and flopping quite vigorously.

I *think that the weird blob where the head should be is just a piece of membrane, I haven't taken a newer picture because I don't want to disturb it, but I can peek through and see baby still being quite lively.


My question is, do I intervene and try to put baby back under mom? will it just dry out and fluff up by itself? The temp outside is well over 90 and EXTREMELY humid, I can't think that it is in any danger of being cold.

I tried to ask this on a local group and was told that it was "time for a heavy rock."

Ugh.

I can go mess with the baby if I need to, but I'd rather just leave it be, I think I'll do more harm by trying to mess with it when I don't have clue as to what I'm doing.

 

[theoldchick]

I'd intervene, see what is going on, and take if from there. If the chick has a severe deformity it would be best to end its life.

 

[LadyLuck]

Oh, one more thing,
baby has flopped itself to a corner in the nesting box, i don't think it can flop itself back up onto the main nest where mom can sit on it, so if it needs to be under her I will move it, I just need to know. thanks so much.

 

[LadyLuck]

if chick is normal, does it go back under mom? I don't think it can crawl back up there now, it's in a corner.

 

[RochfoKev]

I would intervene to, if its in distress picking it up and checking it over would be better than the other option, hopefully it just needs a little help and will be ok.
Good luck

 

[LadyLuck]

Ok, I went and looked and put it back under mom.

baby has a head, two eyes, beak... the blobby looking thing is it's neck...like an area of neck with no feathers.

baby is strong and peeping and wiggling mightily.

I'm not ready to put it down just because I don't understand a big bald area on its neck.

I did put it back under mom, if she doesn't want it, she can kick it out. If it looks like it is struggling, I will then consider putting it down.

 

[sourland]

It looks as if either the chick has a skull deformity or the hen has pecked at and injured it. I would pick the chick up and assess the nature of it's injury/problem. If it appears that the chick is capable of surviving, I would place it under the mother. If it does not appear that the chick is viable, I would end it's suffering.

 

[LadyLuck]

oh dear.

well, nature knows best.

my decision was to put it under mom and see what happened, if she kicked it out or what.

I guess it was "or what" came home tonight and went and checked... chick GONE. Of course it is dark so it could be just blending in, but I can't find it with a flashlight. in any case, it is not under mom (the week old one is) and I don't see it in the nesting box.

my daughter is going to be heartbroken... today when we found it pipping she was beyond thrilled.

So one more question... could mommy hen have eaten it? but I'd see remains wouldn't I? surely she couldn't eat it bones, beak and all?

 

[theoldchick]

Yes, she could have eaten the chick. Or a rat could have dragged it off. Or a snake might have eaten her. Sorry for your loss.