Busy day yesterday. It was Hafod's and Whitford's 2nd birthday, and hatch day for Idris & Rhondda's clutches.
Bit of back story required: Rhondda went broody in the nest box next to Idris about 2 weeks ago, and since this is a big improvement on her secret nest in the hedge, I didn't want to break or otherwise discourage her this time. So I shared Idris' clutch between them, leaving Idris with her own 3 eggs, and giving Rhondda her own egg plus Maria's in the box next door.
All eggs hatched on schedule, all chicks seem 100%, but one that was cheeping loudly yesterday was dead in the nest this morning; I've no idea what the problem was. Carefully examined it for clues, but found no deformities, looks perfect, no blood or other sign of being pecked anywhere, no ectoparasites, no breaks. It had absorbed and apparently consumed its yolk (no bulge in that area). It seems to have had Amadeo’s colouring – grey and lemon down and yellow skin, so I guess that was one of Idris' 3, though it was in Rhondda's nest. Shame it didn’t make it.
The other four are a little black chick - that must be Maria's; a dark brown chipmunk; and two regular chipmunks. The two broodies seem to be getting on fine, side by side on the coop floor, feeding whichever chick responds to them, and sheltering them likewise. This is my first experience of co-brooding, and it seems to be going well so far. It also satisfies two broodies' instincts, with relatively few chicks
Photos to follow.
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so Betws got some cashews 
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