Liz writes on 16 July:
The sick chick looked worse this morning, so we have begun trying to force-feed and hydrate it. It’s not looking good, and gets progressively worse through the day. Sometimes there is just nothing that we can do to make a difference, and it can be difficult to accept that we cannot win every time. The chick died during the afternoon, leaving us with one chick all on it’s own.
On a more positive note the first two broods of chicks were moved outside and took to their new outdoor lives remarkably quickly. We have concerns about the feet of the oldest brood, which have become caked in faeces and are a bit callused and cracked.
After washing their feet in warm saline, preparation H (Haemorrhoid cream) and an antiseptic spray was applied. We will continue to monitor their feet and try various substrates to determine what works best.
Roland and Liz transferring chicks to the outside runs (c) Martin McGil
Home sweet home, the finished rearing enclosure and Roland's tent (c) Roland Digby
