numberoneaggie
In the Brooder
- Mar 24, 2015
- 15
- 1
- 37
I've only had chickens for 2 years and we just let 2 broody girls sit on eggs. I had 2 eggs hatch on Saturday and one mama is taking care of those. I put the eggs she abandoned under the other mama and one started a pip hole last night but didn't make it out until this afternoon. 2 others hatched shortly after. Once I saw the chick was out from the large side of the egg, I left her alone and didn't handle her or even see her other half. I did remove the egg later when I saw mama had pushed it aside and noticed it was kind of bloody.
Tonight, around 6:30, the first mama took her chicks to the coop and settled down in her corner for night, much earlier than the other chickens. When I went out around 8:30 to shut the coop, I saw the mama running away from the coop with her babies and knew something was wrong. I found a snake in the box with the new babies and he had one in his mouth. I could only find one other baby and I grabbed it while my husband wrestled with the snake. He saved the chick, but had to kill the snake to get it to release the baby. Once the commotion died down, I was looking for the 3rd baby and found it on the ground. It's a 3 foot drop to the ground from the box. She had something hanging from her that I assumed was the yolk sack but ahe was pretty dry and moving around and chirping. It's been bothering me because I'm afraid that I stepped on her during the struggle with the snake so I just went back out to check on her. She's snuggled under mama and moving around, but I can see her intestines and I'm not sure it's normal.
Has anyone had this happen? Was she born like this or did I step on her and squeeze them out? Is there any point to waiting to see how she does or should she be culled? I feel terrible because my 3 year old watched it all and the only thing that calmed her down was knowing all 3 chicks were safe. The last thing I want to do is tell her that mama killed a chick by stepping on it.
Here's a couple pictures that show her the last time I saw her as she hatched and one of the intestines.
Tonight, around 6:30, the first mama took her chicks to the coop and settled down in her corner for night, much earlier than the other chickens. When I went out around 8:30 to shut the coop, I saw the mama running away from the coop with her babies and knew something was wrong. I found a snake in the box with the new babies and he had one in his mouth. I could only find one other baby and I grabbed it while my husband wrestled with the snake. He saved the chick, but had to kill the snake to get it to release the baby. Once the commotion died down, I was looking for the 3rd baby and found it on the ground. It's a 3 foot drop to the ground from the box. She had something hanging from her that I assumed was the yolk sack but ahe was pretty dry and moving around and chirping. It's been bothering me because I'm afraid that I stepped on her during the struggle with the snake so I just went back out to check on her. She's snuggled under mama and moving around, but I can see her intestines and I'm not sure it's normal.
Has anyone had this happen? Was she born like this or did I step on her and squeeze them out? Is there any point to waiting to see how she does or should she be culled? I feel terrible because my 3 year old watched it all and the only thing that calmed her down was knowing all 3 chicks were safe. The last thing I want to do is tell her that mama killed a chick by stepping on it.
Here's a couple pictures that show her the last time I saw her as she hatched and one of the intestines.
