Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Spoiler Alert - Don't Look at this If You Have a Weak Stomach

This is chick number 11.  Born sometime Monday afternoon, it was not even dry by the time I got home at 5:10 PM.  I found it near the back pophole, so someone, probably one of the five month old chicks in the little henhouse "helped" it from the original nest to the area of the pophole.  My guess is, even though it shows no wounds, it was jostled around enough that after pecking it's way out of the egg shell, it was exhausted and couldn't take the rough treatment, because chick 9 survived it's trip out to the porch while still wet on Saturday.  The small thing above it is the almost-dried yolk sac that was still attached.  It hurts me to see a viable chick, which deserved to live, gone almost before it drew it's only breaths.  It is perfect in it's form, and will never have a chance to become part of the flock. Thus does Nature take it's way.

There are two more eggs in the original nest spot, but the mamas are no longer setting them, and I doubt if they will hatch now.  I am going to give them two more days, but exposed as they are, I don't think any chicks hatching from them will have a chance, as this one did not. 

Sometimes you have to suck it up in the country.



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