why did baby chick die?

15 years ago

My hen recently sat and hatched 4 baby chicks on the 7th and 8th of Nov. Everyone was doing fine. They are confined to their own pen w/mama - they were all there last night - this morning went out and 1 was missing, found it underneath straw. Did baby get caught or did mama do something? (it was one of the big babies). she is a first time mom, and doing a great job teaching babies all!

any thoughts on this?

TIA

Nelda

*****Has anyone heard from Velvet - she's in California? with fires out there -just concerned.*****

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Comments (5)

mersiepoo
15 years ago
Probably wandered off, got chilled and then that is it. That is so sad, I hate when that happens. :( Sorry to hear about the little one.
velvet_sparrow
15 years ago
Hey, thanks for your concern, we're just fine, the fires are to the north of us in Santa Barbara. We're getting a healthy dose of smoke & ash to breathe, though. Ugh. :(

Sorry about your chick. Short of you seeing any injury to it, anything could have happened. It does happen that chicks hatch with some kind of hidden congenital issue that takes them off in the first week. I'd keep an eye on mama hen and make sure that, as a fist-time mom, she isn't stomping on the chicks or something. New chicks are pretty rubbery, so they are quite resilient and can take a lot of stomping.

Suck to lose chicks, though! :(

Velvet ~:>
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nelda1234
Original Author
15 years ago
Mersiepoo & Velvet, thanks for insight. I have been keeping a real close eye on Mama, I have one of the babies that is super tiny and Mama has been stepping on her alot because she is so little and is always trying to get up underneath her to stay warm and she cheeps alot - should I take that one out and bring her in? or should I just leave her?

****Velvet**** glad to hear that your ok!

thanks again,
Nelda
velvet_sparrow
15 years ago
I'd leave her with mama, that's where she's most comfortable and happy, and she'd be very distressed to be on her own, which may stress her unduly.

About the fires...
Spoke too soon. New fires all around us today, the air is raining big chunks of ash, tastes & smells horrid and is solid black--and the chickens are VERY unhappy.

If it gets any worse I'm going to have 45 chickens roaming around in my kitchen--! While this overjoys my daughter, cleaning up that much chicken poop does not thrill ME.

Velvet ~:>
nelda1234
Original Author
15 years ago
thanks for info - it's what I thought but never hurts to ask first!

About the fires-just saw another news cast and they said it is getting worse out there - keep us updated on your family - we would want to know that you are ok.

45 chickens in your kitchen YIKES better you than me! but completely understandable -do you have a back up plan if your family needs to leave? I remember there was talk on a past thread about that.

Good luck and stay safe

Nelda