I'm a brand new member. I think I have something like four posts. I've had chickens for all of less than a month, getting my first chicks from a True Value Hardware Store in a tiny small town here in Washington State. We bought our country house two years ago and spent the first year setting up for our horses and working our butts off just to make the mortgage and settle into being new home owners.
This year, was the year to expand a little and do some of the things we always wanted to do. An old hay barn fell down and gave us the opportunity and space to build what I affectionately call 'The Chicken Palace". I'm an animal lover to the core, and I browse the site daily to see what people are posting about, whats on their minds, and to just learn all I can about chickens. I'm absolutely in love with my first six RIR chicks I have which are boisterous teenagers now, getting their feathers and one of which is growing his first comb and learning to crow. I added to the flock with four more EEs and then two AAs.... and it broke my heart when I realized one of the EEs had a really significant leg injury (that I was too dumb to notice when I picked her out at the feed store) that got worse as she got older. We posted for help on here... my husband and I... but it became clear that her injury wasn't getting any better and she was in constant pain. My husband is a beautiful soul and told me to call the vet. I called everyone in my local area (which incidentally is the egg capital of Washington) and all of them laughed and said they wouldn't treat poultry. So, in the hardest act I've ever had to do, I culled the chick at three weeks old just when she was getting her beautiful feathers because she couldn't hardly walk. That hurt... and was really really hard to do. I cannot imagine what you went through culling your four favorites, or what it will be like eliminating the rest.
The chicken palace isn't up yet... its just a stick frame with three walls (wall four is going on tonight), and in the mean time the teenagers are in a portable run that we move around the yard that keeps them safe (and from driving my saintly hubby nuts because they were living in his office). But, being so painfully new at all of this.... I count myself lucky having stumbled upon your videos. I hear the rage in your voice at yourself, PC, but the truth is your not going quietly down without a fight. You're protecting your friends, their families of chickens, and you're teaching people like me what not to do. You're taking out your entire flock, and from the sounds of your video it is a significant one... but I really want to thank you... from one mistake (and yes, it was a mistake... even if it was something you knew better) others are learning. I'm sure its not a lesson you willingly wanted to teach, but at least their deaths won't be for naught. My chicken palace will have a separate place now away from the others, with zero contact, so that I can continue to get new birds without fear of spreading illness. I would not have thought of it before seeing your video. Well, maybe I would have but honestly I'd probably have said... "It won't be me. I won't get sick birds. Everything will be fine."
You're pain was real. It takes a lot of self humility and courage to do what your doing, both with your flock and your public service. We needed something like this... all us new people out here on BYC.
Thank you.
Jen
This year, was the year to expand a little and do some of the things we always wanted to do. An old hay barn fell down and gave us the opportunity and space to build what I affectionately call 'The Chicken Palace". I'm an animal lover to the core, and I browse the site daily to see what people are posting about, whats on their minds, and to just learn all I can about chickens. I'm absolutely in love with my first six RIR chicks I have which are boisterous teenagers now, getting their feathers and one of which is growing his first comb and learning to crow. I added to the flock with four more EEs and then two AAs.... and it broke my heart when I realized one of the EEs had a really significant leg injury (that I was too dumb to notice when I picked her out at the feed store) that got worse as she got older. We posted for help on here... my husband and I... but it became clear that her injury wasn't getting any better and she was in constant pain. My husband is a beautiful soul and told me to call the vet. I called everyone in my local area (which incidentally is the egg capital of Washington) and all of them laughed and said they wouldn't treat poultry. So, in the hardest act I've ever had to do, I culled the chick at three weeks old just when she was getting her beautiful feathers because she couldn't hardly walk. That hurt... and was really really hard to do. I cannot imagine what you went through culling your four favorites, or what it will be like eliminating the rest.
The chicken palace isn't up yet... its just a stick frame with three walls (wall four is going on tonight), and in the mean time the teenagers are in a portable run that we move around the yard that keeps them safe (and from driving my saintly hubby nuts because they were living in his office). But, being so painfully new at all of this.... I count myself lucky having stumbled upon your videos. I hear the rage in your voice at yourself, PC, but the truth is your not going quietly down without a fight. You're protecting your friends, their families of chickens, and you're teaching people like me what not to do. You're taking out your entire flock, and from the sounds of your video it is a significant one... but I really want to thank you... from one mistake (and yes, it was a mistake... even if it was something you knew better) others are learning. I'm sure its not a lesson you willingly wanted to teach, but at least their deaths won't be for naught. My chicken palace will have a separate place now away from the others, with zero contact, so that I can continue to get new birds without fear of spreading illness. I would not have thought of it before seeing your video. Well, maybe I would have but honestly I'd probably have said... "It won't be me. I won't get sick birds. Everything will be fine."
You're pain was real. It takes a lot of self humility and courage to do what your doing, both with your flock and your public service. We needed something like this... all us new people out here on BYC.
Thank you.
Jen
