dead blue tit chicks

[jeh]

we had 5 chicks hatch out on thursday and 1 on friday, 3 unhatched eggs. didn't expect the small one to survive and didn't have much hope for the others as the male has been non exisitent since the female started to nest.

Yesterday the smallest and another seemed to have disappeard but a greater spotted has been lurking around so assumed that was the reason. The others still seemed quite lively.

We went out and bought live mealworms to try and help out but the female didn't seem to find them even though we put them in tow seperate places and she tried to feed the chicks on sunflower seeds last night. this morning there is no noise from the chicks (and guess what the male returned - too late!) The female was just sitting on the nest again as if trying to hatch eggs and during a brief excursion I was able to see that really only one chick showed any sign of life - very weak. when the mother returned with food she just looked at the chick and then ate the food herself. she is now just sitting on the nest.

All very sad after such a promising start.