Help help help!!!!!!!!!!!

[conureking1]

I checked the breeding nest a few minutes ago and I saw the oldest baby chick dead. Eaten. Is this ok??! Parents sick? There is another young chick in the nest. Should I hand feed? Or leave it in the nest? PLEASE HELP!!

 

[wenz2712]

Sorry I cant advise you on this, but I am sure others will come along shortly who will be able to help!

 

[Birdlover11]

The reason it was eaten was because the parant needed the vitamins or something like that . I am not an expert in the breeding category but I would suggest hand feeding. Not that sure, I'm sure though another member will come along.

 

[henpecked]

Chances are they will kill the second also, I'd pull and handfeed.

 

[Peeker]

Personally I would pull the second chick to handfeed. There is always a chance the first chick was failing and the parents knew it, but there's a chance they will eat the second chick too. Better to be safe than sorry IMO.

 

[weco]

Breeding is instinctive with birds & I doubt that a hen would lay, incubate, then kill chicks she is nesting, to obtain nutrients for its own consumption. I would be more inclined to think that something else was going on around the nest that had/has the hen and/or her mate nervous & upset.

Almost anything might upset a setting hen, loud noise, constant noise, predatory animals…dogs, cats, etc., construction, looking in the nest box or otherwise bothering the hen and her eggs, people trying to move/handle the eggs/chicks.

There is also the possibility that the parents are a mismatched pair, a young, unproven pair or an incompatible pair. Some birds are not compatible with each other and while they may produce eggs, there may not be harmony in the nest box.

I agree that any remaining chicks should be removed and hand raised.

 

[conureking1]

Thanks. It really helps.