Mom rejected one?

[TreyNC]

We are hatching one egg a day just as layed. Seven total. First two cute yellow puffballs running around jumping on mom. We are trying to have the whole family interact with the birds so they will not be frightened of us. The third chick was hatched today. When I got home a new little head was sticking out from under mom. I came back out later and the new chick was in the corner hiding. There was blood around both eyes. This chick is black with black feet not like the others. Could the looks of the newest chick make mom reject him. And if so what happens if the others come out different also. Currently the black chick is seperated. Not looking forward to having it in the house and taking it on vacation!

Thanks for any input.
Trey

 

[trilyn]

That happened with my first broody too, she was racist-LOL!! Seriously though, I guess sometimes the hen won't accept chicks that are drastically different from her coloring. It sucks, but it does happen. My barred rock on the other hand hatched out nine, both white and black. Guess they matched her coloring well enough. Sorry to hear about your chick, at least your is alive, mine killed hers.

 

[MissJenny]

I am curious why you hatched the chicks one at a time rather than collect them all and set them at the same time, the way the mother does? Was there a particular reason? Time or space constraints?

Seems to me if they had hatched all at once the mother would have been so overwhelmed that rejecting a chick would have been less likely... wouldn't it?

Can we get pictures?

Jenny

 

[TreyNC]

MissJenny, I guess I just let nature do its thing. I didn't really want to hatch eggs but the hen had different plans. I have never done this before. The next chick just came out and is black also. this chick has not come out from under the mom yet for her to see. Have to leave town tomorrow guess any body not welcom with mom goes with me to the inlaws (they just love me) house tomorrow. Do you think with a more equal mix of colors she may accecpt them all?

 

[domino7]

I recently had a black cochin hatch several chicks. 5 were black, 2 were yellow. When I got home from work one day the 2 yellow ones were dead. It looked like mom killed them, so there might be something to that. Weird.