Cricket the Confused Button Quail was found dead in her cage this morning. Cause of death was obvious eggbinding - egg was visible but so huge it had forced her legs to the sides. I tried to work it out but it was lodged tight against her hip bones. She was fine last night, I had her out to play with her. The two silvers she was in with kicked up a fuss at 6am, before the lights were on, and I went in to see why they were screaming and found her. After I took her poor little body out, the boys wouldn't stop calling and running around looking for her
I put the white button from the December swap in with them. I think it's a hen, but I'm not sure. The boys settled down and I caught all three of them snuggling a little bit ago, so apparently there's no angst or fighting going on.
Blue's hen apparently got sick of brooding her 2 week old chicks last night. I found one dead, one mostly dead that subsequently died, and three cold and miserable babies. They've been moved to the brooder and seem to be doing fine now. No clue what caused the hen to go crazy, but she's even running away from Blue. Blue was apparently trying to keep the babies warm, but the hen was so psychotic she kept making him run and the babies didn't have time to settle. I think next time I'll let her hatch 'em and then take them away and put them in the brooder. If Blue wasn't so attached to her, I'd swap her out for another bird.
I have eggs from Cricket - the debate this morning was whether or not to hatch them. They were in the pile to go out to the egg train people. I decided against hatching them, because by not hatching them, I have room for one more of JustHatchin's babies and new bloodlines are a good thing. So two people will get Cricket's eggs, and I hope they take after their mostly tame mama bird.
Bad morning. Though in more upbeat news, I put my white Coturnix hen in with my Serama roo. They seem to be getting along fine so far. T'Oliver needed company and the pair of Coturnix Chicken (name of white) was in with didn't like the interloper, so now he's got a buddy and she's in with someone who isn't picking on her. Yay for that.
-Spooky
I put the white button from the December swap in with them. I think it's a hen, but I'm not sure. The boys settled down and I caught all three of them snuggling a little bit ago, so apparently there's no angst or fighting going on.
Blue's hen apparently got sick of brooding her 2 week old chicks last night. I found one dead, one mostly dead that subsequently died, and three cold and miserable babies. They've been moved to the brooder and seem to be doing fine now. No clue what caused the hen to go crazy, but she's even running away from Blue. Blue was apparently trying to keep the babies warm, but the hen was so psychotic she kept making him run and the babies didn't have time to settle. I think next time I'll let her hatch 'em and then take them away and put them in the brooder. If Blue wasn't so attached to her, I'd swap her out for another bird.
I have eggs from Cricket - the debate this morning was whether or not to hatch them. They were in the pile to go out to the egg train people. I decided against hatching them, because by not hatching them, I have room for one more of JustHatchin's babies and new bloodlines are a good thing. So two people will get Cricket's eggs, and I hope they take after their mostly tame mama bird.
Bad morning. Though in more upbeat news, I put my white Coturnix hen in with my Serama roo. They seem to be getting along fine so far. T'Oliver needed company and the pair of Coturnix Chicken (name of white) was in with didn't like the interloper, so now he's got a buddy and she's in with someone who isn't picking on her. Yay for that.
-Spooky
