poor silkie bantam died! kids are distraught. i think it was me.

[prov31gal]

so, the silkie bantam died. it was 6 weeks old and doing well, then this morning my 11 year old dd came running into the house hysterically sobbing. it was rainy, but its been rainy and he was fine, but he was just laying on the ground outside of the coop. i really think he was on the bottom of the food chain. all the other chicks are bigger brahmas and orpingtons, and he was well, different, and smaller. is it my fault? i feel like it is, maybe i should have kept him in longer. he was doing great, and it has been cold, and he was still fine, its not even cold today or yesterday, so i dont know, i have no explaination. but i called my friens this morning who is bringing over 2 blur polish 4 day old chicks to help fill the void! so kids are feeling better.
we dont even keep chicks for pets! they dont have names except for the 2 roos. mr. president, and spooky rooster.
this was a one off, the silkie bantam, he came in a hatchery surprise, and we named him lucky silkie. but now the blue polish should cheer them up, you think?

 

[kimb]

I am sorry for your loss

where do you live? IMO 6 weeks old is still too young for a silkie to be outside without a form of a heat source if it needs one, at least here in new england, and certainly without a buddy to huddle with should he get a chill... he may have done ok day 1 of cold/wind/rain ... but after a while it gets to them (just as it would us) ... if he was on the low end of the food chain he may not have been allowed to get food or water either (have to watch for this) and maybe even have multiple feeding containers for his equal opportunity. . . The flock will make sure the strong survive (and sometimes their choice isn't exactly ours

)...

I'm very sorry for you & your kids - silkies are special little ones for sure ! I hope you enjoy your new ones and try not to let it bother you ... (although I say that and I often continue to blame myself for "allowing" normal chicken behavior to happen). It's a tough life us chicken-people live ...

 

[eenie114]

Well, nothing will ever replace Lucky, bt I'm sure it wasn't your fault.

to you and your kids

 

[chick4chicks]

I am so sorry for the loss of your sweet little silky. Hugggs to you and the kids. Enjoy your new babies. Don't beat yourself up sometimes things happen for a reason we don't understand. Good luck with your new babes.