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@LizNm
12:01!
It will not end well for #4
if there is not enough food or or if the food is too large, the energy expended fighting the giants at the nest will be depleted faster than it can be replenished
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@Andra_8
Ogris the first time checked the fourth one
Freshly hatched chicks can survive the first 24 hours on yolk sac reserves, but after that, they urgently need food. Without it, dehydration and muscle weakness set in very quickly, making it difficult for them to swallow even small fish. Furthermore, being constantly covered and weighed down by larger, stronger siblings consumes a lot of their remaining energy.
14:01 all have eaten
fingers crossed! enough and good sized food for every chick!
- 1st chick: 6 days old (hatched 01.06 at 06:13)
- 2nd chick: 6 days old (hatched 01.06 at 13:14)
- 3rd chick: 4 days old (hatched in the night 02./03.06)
- 4th chick: 2 days old (hatched 05.06 at at 04:50)
English translation only from now on – assisted by Gemini
06:45 – [The parent] is testing the fourth chick... prodding and checking it.
07:03 – Ogris is not leaving the fourth chick alone.
07:04 – Fortunately, Meija arrives.
07:05 – Meija took over from Ogris.
07:05+ – The mother regurgitated a huge pile of frogs. However, the frogs this morning are too big for #3 and #4. They couldn't eat anything during two consecutive feedings; the smallest chick simply won't be able to fit such a large frog into its bill.
08:59–09:03 – Replaying the stream: the curious youngest chick pokes its head out from under the parent's wing several times. It starts at 08:59 and keeps doing it until Ogris stands up. At 09:03, the little one finally crawls out from by the wing.
10:41–10:42 – Meija is prodding the fourth chick. It would be better if she just brooded over the chicks.
General Viewer Observations from the Day
- The youngest chick's situation:
The parents are really testing the fourth chick today. It seems the chick can feel the danger, as it was running away from the father a lot this morning and is trying to hide right in the middle of the sibling pile.
- Parental instincts (Brood reduction):
Both parents are eyeing up the youngest chick, weighing up its chances, but for now, they are suppressing the instinct to eliminate it. The little one needs to plump up quickly.
- Sibling behavior:
The chicks are so hungry that they are biting each other's leg bones. One of them already looks a bit bigger today.
- Size differences:
This year, the size differences between each chick are very noticeable. It feels like the youngest ones are just meant to be "spares", as storks don't seem to take into account that some chicks hatched later. (btw. This year there is a 4 day difference between the 1st and 4th chicks, which is a lot. In 2024 there were 2 days.)
- Outlook:
It doesn't look good for the youngest. Well, never mind, at least there will be three well-fed chicks, hopefully.
Our youngest really seems to be at risk. Do both parents think s/he stands little chance due to being so small?
Meija has brought large frogs, as usual.They are almost too big for any of them. Benjamin can't manage to swallow one, and the third hatched chick is also having trouble with such big prey.
I am very sorry, but storks know ... btw. the two little one's are still without food
- 12:43:15 change Ogris arrived - 12:46:12 Meija out
- 12:47 - a lot of mostly good sized little fish (little one is already without strength to fight successfully ) ...
Things are probably going to end badly for our little Benjamin.
Understanding it logically is one thing, but accepting it emotionally is a whole different story (at least for me)
And I’ve been watching storks in detail for over 10 years now (as Triine wrote – it's better not to watch them starve or see the
elimination)