Sunday 21st November 2021

2 healthy chicks that have not needed help

​Hello friends and family
The week got off to a rough start with 2 dead chicks on Sunday morning. These were not tiny, new chicks, but 10-day old ones that should have been out of danger. Hiltrun took them down to Dunedin for an autopsy. Monday was worse – 2 dead chicks, 3 sick ones and another missing egg. The sick ones were gasping for breath so we took them down to the Wildlife hospital where they can be given oxygen. One survived.

we did save this one

​Then Tuesday was worse than that – 4 dead chicks! It takes courage to look into the next nest box.
Wednesday was bad again with 2 dead chicks but on Thursday, Friday and Saturday we were grateful that there was only one chick died on each day. They are not dying of diphtheria but some other problem. For some it is food obstruction in the throat, for others it is that hatching was too hard.

the egg thief

​All we can do is keep going, treating the ones we can and farewelling the ones we can’t. 

these chicks have completed their treatment for diphtheria

We are now at the point where 40% of the chicks here at Katiki have died. Each day takes us a step out of the danger zone for the chicks and we cope one day at a time.
Have a great week!
Rosalie