Orphan Chick
Oct 10th 2008RuralWriterFarm Critters
Yesterday morning when I went out to do chores, I noticed Miss “My Pad is a Purple Bucket” was still in the chicken pen. Well, there’s reason for the saying “up with the chickens.” They’re usually out foraging at the crack of dawn, and there she was, still in the pen.
Her little chick was huddled down underneath her.
When I got up close, the little chick went running around, but the mother hen never moved. She was dead.
The little peep looked so pitiful trying to keep close to the mother. It would go out every once in a while and eat some cracked corn I threw on the ground, but would go running back to scoot under the mother hen’s body every time another chicken came close.
I’m guessing the hen just died of old age. We’ve been losing one of the girls from our foundation flock every now and then. As you can see from her white feathers, she was getting old. In her prime, her feathers were all that golden color.
The Farmer disposed of the mama hen last night, and I have the chick in a cage on the back porch. I feel sorry for the little mite. It keeps peeping for a mama that isn’t going to come back.
8 Comments »
frugalmomon 10 Oct 2008 at 8:38 pm 1Ohhhh..Im gonna miss Miss purple bucket. She was a good chicken..mama.
Amyon 10 Oct 2008 at 8:42 pm 2Awww, the poor little baby lost his mommy. How sad! I would want to put him in my pocket and carry him around with me. How old was the mama hen? On average how long did your foundation flock live? I’m thinking positive thoughts for the little orphan and I hope he has a long healthy life.
ceeceeon 12 Oct 2008 at 7:13 pm 3Oh, poor baby! I can’t remember, do you have any other hens with chicks right now? Maybe you could sneak him under one of those hens??
Rural Writeron 13 Oct 2008 at 10:56 pm 4Yes, she was a good mana.
I think she was about 4 1/2 years old. I’m pretty sure I got the first chicks in 2004.
I’ve tried sneaking chicks with other hens. It might work right after they’re hatched, but once they’re up running around, Mama hen seems to know which ones are hers, and pecks at the newcomer. Good idea though!
Nancyon 15 Oct 2008 at 5:33 pm 5Aww, poor little biddie. I feel bad for it. Sorry you lost a hen, at least it was to old age, though.
Rural Writeron 16 Oct 2008 at 3:09 pm 6The little chick seems to be doing fine in it’s cage, though I’m sure it’s rather lonesome!
Kimmyon 20 Oct 2008 at 7:54 pm 7Awe! Poor little guy. It would be nice if another hen would take it under her wing. (literally lol) I hope he survives.
Rural Writeron 20 Oct 2008 at 8:35 pm 8So far so good! There’s a teddy bear in there for warmth, and he (she?) seems to be doing okay.