5th chick dying in my hands right now - help!

[seminolewind]

Somewhere in this thread it is posted. I am not sure where. The jig is up. The new neighbors are getting chickens. No way will I expose their flock, so its time to cull the lot of them. I can't do it all at once, but it will be Spring before she gets them so I can do it a few at a time and save my favorites for last.

I am truly sorry.

 

[familypendragon]

I put my beloved Ripley down this morning I think its going to be chaotic and painful tomorrow having people over to help butcher them, so I decided I would spare her that and just take care of her myself today. I also put down Lacey and Squeaky - my two sweet little sisters I realized I need to just go through this only once. Dragging it out with the dread of having to put my favorites down at some future date just makes it even worse. I am not able to sleep and crying a lot. And I need to focus on cleaning and improving everything before spring. I do better when I have something positive to focus on. I still haven't been able to work up the strength to put down Stripe and her 8 perfectly healthy looking beautiful baby chicks I fed them the last of their feed today. I removed all the extraneous stuff from the coop so that we will not be tripping over things chasing down chickens tomorrow I removed a bunch of the roosts ( I have way more than I need) and dragged the wood out so I can start scraping, bleaching, and painting it as soon as possible - well the pieces worth re-using anyway. I will take this opportunity to make this coop as perfect as possible for the new flock next year. I try always to look forward, because sometimes the past and present are just too much to handle.

 

[casportpony]

If you're doing this because you want to start over with stock from mycoplasma free sources, fine, I understand, but if you're doing it for your neighbor that doesn't have birds yet, how are you going to feel if they buy birds with mycoplasma and decide not to cull them?

-Kathy

 

[Bazy]

I don't know what I could possibly say to make anything easier. I can express my gratitude for you sharing this heartbreaking journey to educate us all, but that doesn't seem like enough. I want you to know that I'm SURE i'm not the only one who has cried for you and your husband and your chickens..., and dreaded what you have to do. Just know that I'm thinking about you and wishing tomorrow away so you can focus on a positive new beginning. I think your decision to bring this to an abrupt and quick end is a good one. I'm sure it was a difficult one to make, but I feel like you are doing the right thing.

 

[Bazy]

Quote:
That sounds like a bridge better left crossed when you get to it. The only way she can ever have a 100% healthy flock is to depopulate and start over. If she does not, she can not sell hatching eggs, or chicks or pullets or excess roosters, or layers. She can not walk out to the neighbors fence without worring her shoes are contaminating the ground, she can not let other chicken owners on her property, or in her car, she will always have expensive and labor intensive treatments for this sick chick or that one, and she will be surrounded by death. You can not love a chicken back to health, sometimes no matter how you try. It will die anyway. My decision would be to cull, and I think it absolutely is the right thing to do. End the heartbreak in one day, grieve and move on. We will be here to help how we can.

 

[casportpony]

Quote: I guess I was trying to say that one should make their decision based on what's best for them not what's best for the neighbors. Pretty sure the feed store I shop at has mycoplasma, probably both MS and MG, and they sell thousands of birds a year, so what to stop one's neighbors buying birds from places like this?

-Kathy

 

[familypendragon]

All of the above reasons. A decision a long time coming, but a realization that it might not JUST affect me. I won't be the one that does that. While I can't control what my neighbor does I will certainly do my best to share my experience, educate and help them. I can control what I do. I can only do my best. But you are right. There are no guarantees. It could all happen again no matter how hard I try. But that doesn't mean I should just give up trying. Giving up is the only way to for sure fail.

 

[Bazy]

Quote:
I understand. You are 100% RIGHT ON! You can help your own community by helping educate people so they can avoid purchasing contaminated birds. THAT's what can stop the spread. Your valuable knowledge could save your friends and neighbors a year of heartache trying to find out what is wrong with their flock. It would be a good idea for you to have a few birds tested to confirm they have MG and are from that feed store, though. I think you can send them to be tested for about $40 each plus shipping. If they are still alive, you can have a vet take a sample swab and send it in. The test fee is the same, but the vet bill runs about $85 per bird here. So about $125 for a test if the bird is still alive. I wouldn't say anything about the feed store without proof. We have familypendragon to thank for having the unselfish desire to educate us all, not only by spending hundreds to have her diagnosis confirmed, losing hundreds of dollars of chickens, but by showing us the INTEGRITY and courage we would need to do what is necessary to protect everyone. It's up to us to take that education to the next level and stop diseased birds from making their way to your neighbor's yards. Familypendragon is a hero, and so are the people who have stepped up to help her.

 

[laylalee64]

You have an excellent attitude. The world would be a much better place if everyone had that mindset!! So sorry for your losses. Time now I guess to rip off the band-aid and let the healing begin! Best of luck!!

 

[Frizzlett98]

I just finished reading this from the beginning. So awful! I wouldn't even know what to do if this happened to my flock. So sorry to hear this.

These last 2 pages made me start bawling. Good luck in the future. You did great!