Out of the four chicks that hatched only one made it through today. The third hatchling was deformed somehow and couldn't stand,the turkey hen stepped on it and killed it while the kids and I were out there. I was debating putting it down anyway.
One of my Australorps has been broody for a while but most of her eggs were not fertile (I have three roosters dang it) so I gave her the remaining eggs the turkey was sitting on. I figured she would do a better job and not kill them like the turkey. Three of them hatched this afternoon but she completely rejected the chicks, threw them out of the nest, pecks them when they try to get under her, and wants to keep sitting on the other four/five eggs that she had originally. Those eggs are Maran and EE eggs and I can't tell if they are viable or not, I can't figure out how to candle them.
I had moved the broody BA girl to the mama coop but she escaped, leaving the eggs and the chicks. So I moved the eggs back to her nest in the main coop and left her alone. She is a witch of a hen and tries to kill me every time I go in their so I am not messing with her anymore. I snuck the three chicks under the turkey and hope she will take them in.
Two of the chicks are a gray color with beards. One of the chicks is yellowish with a beard. The original chick is yellow with a black dot on the back of its head. I wish I could find my camera!!!
