Hidden Chick

[LoriBurke]

We received six 3-yr old Rhode Island Red hens from a friend. We did not take their rooster and don’t have one of our own. 5 days later I went to check for eggs and found what appeared to be a pink, hard, nearly mummified chick. My friend said a hen could have hidden it under her wing and finally just let it go. Has anyone ever heard of this?

 

[HenneryTheEighth]

I haven’t! I’s had hens smuggle eggs from one nest to another nest, so it maybe possible?

 

[aart]

We received six 3-yr old Rhode Island Red hens from a friend. We did not take their rooster and don’t have one of our own. 5 days later I went to check for eggs and found what appeared to be a pink, hard, nearly mummified chick. My friend said a hen could have hidden it under her wing and finally just let it go. Has anyone ever heard of this?

No.
Had the bird been setting a nest?

Please post pics.

 

[LoriBurke]

No.

nest?

No.
Had the bird been setting a nest?

Unfortunately I did not take a picture. Yes, she had been sitting in the nesting box every day but not continuously. It was always empty when no chickens were in the box.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I’ve never heard of this before.

 

[aart]

Had the bird been setting a nest?

Meaning did the previous owner allow her to hatch chicks?

 

[LoriBurke]

Meaning did the previous owner allow her to hatch chicks?

Oh. Sorry. As far as I know they never had chicks.

 

[aart]

Oh. Sorry. As far as I know they never had chicks.

Then how could she have one tucked under her wing?

Unfortunately I did not take a picture.

Whenever you find something 'weird' it's always good to take some pics.

 

[LoriBurke]

Then how could she have one tucked under her wing?


Whenever you find something 'weird' it's always good to take some pics.

That was my question. I don’t know where it came from. It was really weird. I should have taken a picture.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Is it possible it was a lash egg? Did you happen to dissect it? Lash eggs are fleshy lumps of infected material that sometimes get mistaken for half developed chicks.

Here's a few examples:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/lash-egg.1448844/#post-24101758
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/what-is-this-lash-egg.1330205/#post-21712044