Just found the eldest of four dead in the nest box almost fully feathered

, never lost one this far advanced before. I had to remove the mother a few days ago as she had plucked the down from all the chicks. Father has been doing a sterling job feeding them by himself but this afternoon I have found the eldest dead. Yesterday one of the two eldest jumped out of my hands and fell 4 feet to the floor. But seemed unscathed. Also I'm sure it was not the one that has just passed away.

I will send it to Dr Baker for a PM tomorrow.

Otherwise all going well. I have 6 other youngsters nearly ready fr the nursery cage. Just put three more pairs down. The hens seem more interested than the cocks though, every time the hen goes near to one f the cocks he moves to the other side of the cage. So she follows him and again he vacates his perch for the far one, etc. etc. I watched ten minutes of this ast night as I filmed them so thatI wouldn't be a distraction.

Well we live in hope.