We're having some problems with our third broody's hatch. The clutch was due to hatch tomorrow, but yesterday I noticed the hen had a chick next to her already dry. When I went out first thing this morning, I noticed a second chick with her, already dry. About mid morning today, I went out and checked again, and this time the hen was off the nest with the older chick. The younger chick couldn't climb out of the nest box and was peeping loudly.
When I went to the box, I assumed the remaining two eggs were duds. But then I noticed one had pipped, so I put the hen back in with the older chick, too. She settled in. So I left. I came back a few hours later to find her off the nest, again with the older chick. Behind in the nest box was chick no. 2 again, peeping loudly, but also chick no. 3 who had hatched out, but who wasn't completely dry yet. This time when I tried to settle the hen back on the nest, she wouldn't stay.
My daughter and I took turns sitting in the run with the third chick, keeping her warm in our palms, as the hen went around scratching and dustbathing, trailed by her two older chicks. And we thought she was the one who was going to be such a good mother! Hmmmmph.
Once the hen settled back down in the sand and let her chicks snuggle, we added the third chick under neath her. My daughter sat in a chair inside the run to watch them. After a while, she came to tell me the hen was back up and about. Chick no. 3 was dry, but weak. So we held it some more, and noticed that it might be spraddle legged. So we took it to the vet (who fortunately is right down the street). He said the chick isn't spraddle legged, but just weak and needing warmth and rest.
On the way back from the vet, we decided to name this chick "Lucky," because we hope she will be. We put her back in the run with the hen and her two other siblings. She tries to follow them, almost crawling on her belly because her little ankles are too weak to hold her up much yet. She's got a lot of spirit, and we want to try to help her catch up. I just have the feeling that if she can get a good night's rest under her mother she'll be in much better shape tomorrow.
The fourth egg, left behind in the nest, we've pretty much given up on. I might leave it in the nest with the hen overnight, if I can get her to sit on it. Any advice on that?
When I went to the box, I assumed the remaining two eggs were duds. But then I noticed one had pipped, so I put the hen back in with the older chick, too. She settled in. So I left. I came back a few hours later to find her off the nest, again with the older chick. Behind in the nest box was chick no. 2 again, peeping loudly, but also chick no. 3 who had hatched out, but who wasn't completely dry yet. This time when I tried to settle the hen back on the nest, she wouldn't stay.
My daughter and I took turns sitting in the run with the third chick, keeping her warm in our palms, as the hen went around scratching and dustbathing, trailed by her two older chicks. And we thought she was the one who was going to be such a good mother! Hmmmmph.
Once the hen settled back down in the sand and let her chicks snuggle, we added the third chick under neath her. My daughter sat in a chair inside the run to watch them. After a while, she came to tell me the hen was back up and about. Chick no. 3 was dry, but weak. So we held it some more, and noticed that it might be spraddle legged. So we took it to the vet (who fortunately is right down the street). He said the chick isn't spraddle legged, but just weak and needing warmth and rest.
On the way back from the vet, we decided to name this chick "Lucky," because we hope she will be. We put her back in the run with the hen and her two other siblings. She tries to follow them, almost crawling on her belly because her little ankles are too weak to hold her up much yet. She's got a lot of spirit, and we want to try to help her catch up. I just have the feeling that if she can get a good night's rest under her mother she'll be in much better shape tomorrow.
The fourth egg, left behind in the nest, we've pretty much given up on. I might leave it in the nest with the hen overnight, if I can get her to sit on it. Any advice on that?
