It's a mystery

[Sjisty]

I have a bantam hen, Chrissie, who for 8 years has hatched and raised anything I put under her. For the last two weeks she had been sitting on unfertilized eggs from our Serama hen. Knowing that she will sit on them forever, I went to the incubator, where the only thing I had in there were turkey eggs.

Fast forward - Yesterday, the first poult pipped. Last night when I went out to lock everybody up for the night, I found the little guy out in the yard (!!!) about 15 feet away from the coop. He was still wet and very cold and unhappy. The empty egg was still under Chrissie. Of course, I brought him inside and put him under a light. He seems to be fine.

This morning, turkey #2 has hatched and is snuggled under mama Chrissie.

Now, Chrissie is a snapping turtle when she's on a nest. I have to count my fingers after checking on her babies! I can't imagine how the first little guy ended up so far outside the coop. He couldn't possibly have fallen out of the nest and rolled there. Something had to have carried him there. Chrissie didn't reject the second chick, so I'm sure she didn't take #1 and plant him in the yard. I can't see her letting any other chicken near her nest, either.

I will put #1 back under her later today, if she will let me.

Just like the title says, it's a mystery!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

How odd! Are there other chickens around? Maybe someone grabbed it up and took it outside being naughty? Or a rat perhaps?

I hope she accepts the little one, good luck with your poults!

 

[Sjisty]

There are other chickens in the area. My thought is maybe the chick was sticky and stuck to Chrissie when she got off the nest for a bit. That's the only thing I can think of. She is in a very small nesting box that none of the big guys can get into. There were no bite marks on the little guy, so I don't think anything carried him out.

Anyway, all's well that ends well. I put him back in with Chrissie this morning, and she accepted him. Now there are two poults under her and hopefully the third one will hatch soon. It will be a hoot to watch her try to cover turkey poults in a couple of weeks!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

That's possible, I've found eggs stuck in a couple of my really fluffy hens butt feathers before!

Glad she took it, for a third!