It is likely our first chick of the year was just too weak to make it through the storm today folks. It was almost 12 hours between feedings today and yesterday was a bit better but this would have been tough for any day-old chick to tolerate. Thinking back to 2011, I suspect the same kind of thing might have happened or could have contributed to the deaths of one or both of the McKenzie Seeds chicks during that horrendous week of rain. Because Hurricane is not a big female keeping her chicks dry did mean fewer meals and that could have played a part in their deaths. No way to know for sure of course, but Hurricane hadn't nested through horrible weather like that before so even with a nestbox it was hard for her, good parent though she is. Princess has (unfortunately) been through storms - ice, hail, snow and rain - but even she could only do one or the other - keep her kid dry or fed. She made the right choice but it was still a gamble and the weather wasn't playing fair by lasting so long.
