Lost my first baby bantam - am SO SAD

[Anniekh3]

I am not sure what went wrong - our bantam japanese mamma hatched out a baby either Friday night or early Saturday am. Baby and mamma were doing good, I checked diligently several times a day to see that baby was drinking and eating (it was). Baby was doing so good, even Tuesday night baby was peeping & drinking water when i went to ck at about 10pm, and then crawled under the mamma.

When I woke up yesterday the mamma got off the baby when I came out and it was dead. I am so sad, and don't know what could have been done. We raised about 3 other chickens since they were about 4-8 days old and never had a problem.

I have been reading about 'pasty butt', but did not notice that before and the baby did not seem in distress at all. But when I went to bury it, the baby had some stuff on it's vent/butt area, not a lot - could that have been it? Could mamma have smooshed the baby? Now mamma is sad and trying to roost in the hen house (I put her back with the other chickens) on my other chickens' eggs....should I get her a 'new' baby to raise from the feed store? They are getting some 3 day olds today. Please send me some advice...I cried all day yesterday, and feel so responsible that I did not do enough.

 

[Mulemom]

Anniekh3, I am so sorry about your chick.

I don't have any answers for you. I just wanted to tell you I am sorrry.

I am new to chickens myself, but I was reading a small book I picked up yesterday and remember it saying something about a high mortality rate in Japanese Bantam chicks; something like 25%. Maybe this little one just wasn't supposed to make it. It sure doesn't sound like there was anything you could have done different.

 

[Anniekh3]

What is the name of the book? I vaguely remember hearing something like that.

Thank you for your reply - I am so very sad. We are going to go to the VC Fairgrounds for a bird show on Saturday and I hope to find someone there who may also have some words of wisdom on raising baby chicks....

 

[SpottedCrow]

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

My Japanese hen hatched out 4 chicks from 5 eggs ( one wasn't fertile), and they're all just fine. I brought her and the chicks into the house to brood because I was afraid of the cats or dogs or other predators getting the babies. Her chicks are mixes though, half OEG. I have a japanese roo, but he's low on the totem pole when it comes to the girls.

Sorry for your loss. I wouldn't worry about getting another chick for her to raise, because there's a chance she might reject a chick that wasn't her own. The hens generally "get over it" after about a day. If she still wants to be broody on some eggs, you could give her some hatching eggs.

The baby could have been smashed, sometimes accidents happen. There's just no telling.