[ck2day]

Poor little Eve didn't make the night. I found her this morning under her mum and not breathing. I think it must have taken too long for her to hatch or maybe it just wasnt to be  :cry:  :cry:  :cry:

however chick no 2 is cheeping well and hiding under mum        and number 3 and 4 are cheeping well in their eggs.

Will take and post pics as soon as able and keep you updated, but now have a bigger box to make for them all rather quickly!!

Claire

[babe]

hi claire, please dont worry. a day or two before they hatch its not unusual to hear cheaping. thats where the chickie has peeped through the membrane into the egg sac.

it does feel like forever when you are waiting, keep us updated with progress, and if you do get worried, there's usually someone about who can help...so just keep hollering.

more baby pics    i love this time of year

[agapanthus]

I would try and help it out after all this time. But very gently, with a pair of sterilised tweezers. You must be very careful as not to pull too much shell away at one time because this can tear some of the blood vessels that are in the membrane that is attched to the shell.....and this can lead to heavy blood loss. Good luck

[ck2day]

Thanks babe, am sitting on my hands with the back door locked so I cant keep going and checking every 2 minutes    

The girls and I have named the chick Eve as its our first one.  Will post photos as soon as i'm able

It's quite nerve wracking sitting and waiting

Claire

[ck2day]

Have just been to check and very carefully removed the last of the shell, poor thing had her head stuck in the shell!

The mother hen appears to be pecking her, is this some sort of chicken maternal instinct or might she be not happy with the chick?

Will be on edge now until am happy that Darla has accepted the chick and is not going to kill it and eat it for a late night snack

Claire

[Porffor]

fingers tightly crossed for you and chickie! hope all goes well and you have lovely pics to post tomorrow!

[babe]

so sorry claire, didnt realise chickie was half out already. glad she's out now.

must read post's properly before answering  :oops:

[Vember]

so sorry claire, didnt realise chickie was half out already. glad she's out now.

must read post's properly before answering  :oops:

Thing is Babe you want to offer help & reassure asap, so sometimes you miss bit's, that's wot i do sometimes  :?  :oops:

Have got fingers & toes crossed for Darla, her chick and the other 5 babies

[ck2day]

Have just carefully checked the whereabouts of the chick and she is tucked between mums legs and still breathing  

Will check again in the morning and report back on how she is, I won't be able to sleep now, it's as bad as when i had my own daughters        

Claire

[Fannyann]

how exciting/nerve wracking!

am sure all will be fine in the morning, sounds like mum's accepted chick.

look forward to hearing more.

[Jellyhead]

Everything crossed over here for you CK I know exactly how you feel, I was the same last year. It does get easier believe me  One thing it took me a while to realise was that mummy hen knows what she is doing tho that doesnt mean to say I havent had to intervene a few times :oops:  Good luck anyway

[Fannyann]

sorry to hear about eve :cry:

this chick rearing business is an emotional rollercoaster.

[Vember]

Oh that's soo sad
Sorry about Eve
will keep everything  crossed for the other little ones

[ck2day]

Now have 3 little chicks      All have hatched on their own and are happily tucked up under mum, only 2 eggs left to hatch.  Will post piccies when they have all hatched as I don't want to be bothering mum too much.

On reflection I think poor little Eve wasn't meant to be as her yolk sack looked like it was on the outside and she didn't look as well as these three do.

Oh well you live and learn, will keep you all posted on them and there yet to be hatched siblings

Claire

[ck2day]

Here you go a couple of photos taken very quickly so not very good, will get some better one soon



This was the 2nd chick to hatch



This is the other 2 I think, so difficult when they are all the same colour    

Claire