- Aug 14, 2011
- 2
- 0
- 7
Okay, so I had three eggs that were due to hatch today. As a matter of fact, when I went to check on the hen and chicks this morning, the eggs all had signs of a chick trying to crack the egg/already had a small hole.
And, due to complications, we were unable to move the hen into a separate place to raise her young. So, she was in our coop and a bossy brown hen chased her off this morning. She killed and ate one of the unhatched chicks and smooshed another.
Right now, Number 1 and Number 3 are alive and in my care. Number 4 was eaten and Number 2 was also killed, but that happened last week. Number 1 is bloody (all the blood I can see is dried) and her (I'm assuming the chick is a she) shell is broken into many pieces. There's a big piece of shell on the bottom.
The breaking happened about seven hours ago. Number 1 is still breathing and clacking her beak. Number 3 is working on her shell, although she only has a small hole.
My question is, what do I do with Number 1? I've cleared a bit of the shell away from her face with tweezers about two hours ago. Just to see if it would help her. Do I wait to see if she can break free on her own?
These pictures were taken a while after I took off some of the pieces of her shell.
Number 1 and Number 3, side by side.
A close-up of Number 1. The bits of shell on the ground were loose bits that I just nudged off or broke off. The blood was there before I took off the piece of the shell and the blood on that was dry.
Thank you! ^^
And, due to complications, we were unable to move the hen into a separate place to raise her young. So, she was in our coop and a bossy brown hen chased her off this morning. She killed and ate one of the unhatched chicks and smooshed another.
Right now, Number 1 and Number 3 are alive and in my care. Number 4 was eaten and Number 2 was also killed, but that happened last week. Number 1 is bloody (all the blood I can see is dried) and her (I'm assuming the chick is a she) shell is broken into many pieces. There's a big piece of shell on the bottom.
The breaking happened about seven hours ago. Number 1 is still breathing and clacking her beak. Number 3 is working on her shell, although she only has a small hole.
My question is, what do I do with Number 1? I've cleared a bit of the shell away from her face with tweezers about two hours ago. Just to see if it would help her. Do I wait to see if she can break free on her own?
These pictures were taken a while after I took off some of the pieces of her shell.

Number 1 and Number 3, side by side.

A close-up of Number 1. The bits of shell on the ground were loose bits that I just nudged off or broke off. The blood was there before I took off the piece of the shell and the blood on that was dry.
Thank you! ^^