She hatched 10, lost one immediately, and then in the next days, 5 more. The four she managed to keep are more to their credit than hers. Shortly after hatching, she decided to roost in the pine tree for the night and leave the babies to freeze on the ground. I got her out of the tree and took her back home for a few nights, then made a stairway up to where mom hen insisted on going, so the little ones could get up there too. They did not have flight feathers yet and were not able to regulate their own temperatures, much needing the warmth of mamma hen. It is a good thing she only had 4 babies when she decided to roost. There is no way she could have kept more than that warm all night perched on the branch she chose.
But last night for some reason, one chick did not make the stair way up. He peeped and called for help , but mom was deaf to his pleas and roosted in her tree. When I picked him up, he was shivering uncontrollably, so I held him in my hands and warmed him up. After he stopped shivering, I tried to put him in a branch of the tree, but by then it was dark and he did not move. Mom did not cluck to call him either, so he had no idea of where to go. So, then I got a ladder and put him beside his mother, where he happily snuggled under her wing and fell silent, glad to be warm and comforted. What a bad mommy!
But last night for some reason, one chick did not make the stair way up. He peeped and called for help , but mom was deaf to his pleas and roosted in her tree. When I picked him up, he was shivering uncontrollably, so I held him in my hands and warmed him up. After he stopped shivering, I tried to put him in a branch of the tree, but by then it was dark and he did not move. Mom did not cluck to call him either, so he had no idea of where to go. So, then I got a ladder and put him beside his mother, where he happily snuggled under her wing and fell silent, glad to be warm and comforted. What a bad mommy!
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