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The Life and Times of Chick Six

Molly* watched a female Eastern Bluebird build her nest with puzzlement. She had provided nesting bluebirds with houses for several years and was very familiar with normal bluebird behavior. This little female didn't stick with the job, sometimes flying away for days at a time with the nest unfinished. Apparently this little lady had a style of her own, already causing her mate to sit and call for hours, asking for her to puhleeze come finish the nest. When she finally did complete it, it wasn't really like most other bluebird nests. But she eventually settled in and laid many, many eggs...six of them, to be exact...perhaps as if to say, "Now, wasn't that worth waiting for?"

However, when the eggs began to hatch, once again Molly observed a difference. Instead of hatching over a twenty-four hour period, these chicks were apparently as individualistic as their mom. Three appeared on the first day, two broke into the world on the second, and the last, littlest chick emerged on the third.

All was not well with the sixth little guy...C6, as Molly dubbed him. After a few days monitoring the nest, she saw that he slept through meals rather than even try to raise his head with his small, weak neck muscles to gape for food. He was fading fast.

Not the biggest bird in the world!
C6 Gets Stronger

Fortunately he had a guardian angel. Molly removed C6 from the nest, still breathing, but barely alive. From a doll's hat she made a cozy nest and lit it for warmth. The first few meals of yummy mealworm, spaced two hours apart, were force-feedings. But after twenty-four hours of diligent feeding, Molly was rewarded by a wonderful sign. C6 opened his mouth wide in response to the quacking sound Molly had been making to announce his feeding. (See the photo at the top of the page.)

Now Chick Six not only gobbles up mealworms, but has learned to cock a wise-looking little eye at more challenging prey, then hopping and fluttering until he captures a scurrying beetle. Molly's quacking will pay off when, one day very soon, C6 is released back into the wild. When he hears the call (the quack), he'll know where to return for food until he no longer needs help from his foster mom.

That's better!
Feeling much better, thank you.

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*Pseudonym