The chick drama continues.....
@fisherlady you will enjoy this tale.
Okay, so remember I'm shuffling broodies and babes and pens. Mostly, things have gone swimmingly....other than I seem to be hatching mostly boys...but healthy chicks.
I am down to my last broody, the grey Marans-Barnevelder, who took up residence at the end box in the main coop...actually, not a bad place as it is oversized. I've had good success there before.
I only gave her 2 eggs. I've candled several times (with a couple of students in tow who are interested in the science and doing the 4H chick hatching unit with me).
As we candled, we noticed the 2 eggs were at different growth spots...about day 17 and about day 14. (I may have actually mistakenly set eggs on different days, as I've been swapping stuff out so much, or because of our wacky hot weather, one had "bolted" in the heat).
Anywhooo.....the more progressed chick hatched on a day my student was here. We carefully documented the event, and I gave her a quick peak under momma. I noted then something a bit odd, but just told the student we need to leave momma alone as babe sleeps.
Later, I went back and checked on the babe. It looked "flat" on one side of its head, no kidding. On eye was closed too. It had been laying a bit flat in the nest, oddly (which I had noted with student but obviously didn't point out). I couldn't figure out if the hen had stepped or slept wrong on it. It had the "S" curve in its head and neck that usually means fused vertebra in the neck. I figured the really hot temps we've been running had messed with its incubation causing cranial and vertebra malformation.
As it was still alive, and as it was night, I thought I'd give it a chance though I fully expected to pull out a dead chick in the morning. I just didn't have the heart to cull it that night.
The next morning, I took a careful peak, and low and behold, a healthy little chick emerged. It had not been wet the night before, it was flat on one side of its head. It was malformed from all I could see...but now...a miracle (or maybe not)...at least flat head had fluffed out and looked totally normal. Two normal eyes. Normal neck. Normal chick.
Anyway, as the other babe was less developed in the egg, and mom was still very determined setting, with our very hot weather, I chose to move this chick to my bantam Rosie with her sole surviving Cochin-Barney chick (the other had fallen out and died in the run). Momma Rosie promptly took it under her wing, all was well.
Everything has been well, this week, though Rosie is a little impatient being cooped in the top large broody coop with the 2 babes. She would prefer to be in the run, but as I have the run already occupied with the first Broody and 2 growing babes, I felt these little ones shouldn't be down there as they wouldn't make it back up the ramp. I have noticed Rosie leaning against the wire doors longingly, but chose to ignore her longing and tempt her instead with a dirt box all her own in the large broody coop.
So tonight, I go for lock up. I check on Rosie. She has only ONE babe, the bantam Cochin mix. The little flat head is nowhere to be seen (actually fluffed chick now, but I'll call it flat head). I look, and look, and look. It is NOWHERE in the broody coop.
Now mind you, this is a 2 by 4 by 8 foot totally sealed box made of packing crates. It has wired doors that are fully clasped and locked and ventlated wired holes. It is filled with shavings, and one dirt box. Food and water at both ends. No open holes that I can find. No chick. No where. No signs of blood or struggle.
Either it fell through some unknown hole, or gasp, a rat somehow crawled in an unseen gap and hauled the babe off.
After looking for about 30 minutes, I finally give up thinking it must have succumbed to whatever flat head syndrome it had, died, and was buried deep in the pine shavings. It was becoming totally dark, so I closed everything up thinking I'd find a dead body in the shavings with morning light. Gave a final check, upstairs in the broody box, and down stairs in the dog crate and run, and went into the house.
My little rat terrier was finishing up his final check on the property, so about 20 minutes later, I called him inside. When I open the back door, I can hear mad peeping coming from the broody box hutch.
This little chick has suddenly appeared under the broody hutch, behind the dog crate.
Now mind you, I had been crawling on my knees under there, first in twilight then with flashlight. I had poked in every corner both above and below. I had seen nothing.
But this little guy must have hidden and hunkered down. Now it was screaming its little lungs out.
Fortunately I was able to scoop it up. It was very active and squirmed hard. No sign of trauma anywhere.
I put it back under Rosie, who clucked reassuringly to the little guy. I did give it a dip of water which it glugged down, then placed it deep under Rosie.
Wow. Is this chick lucky or what? (BTW....it is a 2nd gen breedback to my Barnevelder, and looking very properly Barnvelder....I'm hoping it will have nice lacing...so I am happy to still have it).
Name suggestions anyone?
LofMc
