JOSEPHINE and five hatched chicks have been moved to a larger hen house today but I'm afraid that the weakest of the bunch will not survive. Poor thing appears to be blind and is not thriving like the others. The remaining five unhatched eggs have now been separated by the broody hen. Two appear to be left out in the cold while she's persevering with the other three - could there be new additions on the way? Any advice from old hands much appreciated. I feel out of my depth.
Something I have remembered all my life. As a youngster I once wandered by the chickens in my parent's smallholding. All of a sudden the cockerel made a low growl and all the hens disappeared into hiding places. Then, in total silence, the cockerel moved to a vantage point, fluffed himself out, and prepared to fight to the death to defend his flock. I know this isn't relevant, but it shows us how there is often much more depth than we might think to the behaviour of small creatures, so there's often good reason where we don't at first see it. What happened with the cockerel? Nothing, false alarm. I'm being journalistic, and giving the story without the ending..
ReplyDeletegreat story; the blind chick died but another one hatched and then that was followed up by a drama of a chick who couldn't hatch out of the shell because the inner lining was so rubbery and thick.
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