Hi everyone. Its been a while since I posted.
I have been a little preoccupied. I lost my first and favorite Serama (hen) last weekend. We were enjoying a beautiful morning outside, and she suddenly had a seizure and died in my trembling hands. I was absolutely devastated and heartbroken. She would have had her first birthday this month.
RIP sweet Hedwig....
Her little mate, Gordon, seemed equally distraught. They were a very bonded pair. What an awful day.
The only solace I had was that I have 4 of her offspring, 2 cockerels, and 2 pullets. All are beautiful, and remind me of her in some way.
Then Monday night, I had a single chick hatch. My first hatch since those original 4 last summer. It was from Hedwigs son. This little peeper was just not strong. Couldn't walk without falling over, wasn't eating or drinking, and just not doing well. Yesterday (Wednesday) I thought I lost him/her for sure. It just went totally limp, and wouldn't move. I managed to get some B vitamins, and water down it, without drowning the little one, I had to put it back into the incubator, because it was not able to move from under the heat lamp in the brooder, and would have cooked. It just layed there in the incubator, on a tissue, breathing, and occasionally kicking a leg or two, but not trying to get up. I expected the worse overnight.
This morning, the little chick was still in the same place. I picked it up, gave it some more liquids (Sav a Chick), and some watery banana mixture by eyedropper, and it perked up. Started walking. I had to leave for work, so I put food and water in the incubator and hoped for the best. I came home at lunch to check on the little one, expecting the worse again, and lo and behold, he's rearranged the incubator, and is running around without falling, and is climbing all over everything!!
I tried to move him to the brooder, and he collapsed again.... Revived him and stuck him back in the incubator... Looks like I have a 24 hr patient for a while. But I guess its better than the alternative.
Forgive my dirty nails, I was tapping on the chick food, to get the chick to eat. I didn't realize there was still some on my fingers!!
I have been a little preoccupied. I lost my first and favorite Serama (hen) last weekend. We were enjoying a beautiful morning outside, and she suddenly had a seizure and died in my trembling hands. I was absolutely devastated and heartbroken. She would have had her first birthday this month.
RIP sweet Hedwig....
The only solace I had was that I have 4 of her offspring, 2 cockerels, and 2 pullets. All are beautiful, and remind me of her in some way.
Then Monday night, I had a single chick hatch. My first hatch since those original 4 last summer. It was from Hedwigs son. This little peeper was just not strong. Couldn't walk without falling over, wasn't eating or drinking, and just not doing well. Yesterday (Wednesday) I thought I lost him/her for sure. It just went totally limp, and wouldn't move. I managed to get some B vitamins, and water down it, without drowning the little one, I had to put it back into the incubator, because it was not able to move from under the heat lamp in the brooder, and would have cooked. It just layed there in the incubator, on a tissue, breathing, and occasionally kicking a leg or two, but not trying to get up. I expected the worse overnight.
This morning, the little chick was still in the same place. I picked it up, gave it some more liquids (Sav a Chick), and some watery banana mixture by eyedropper, and it perked up. Started walking. I had to leave for work, so I put food and water in the incubator and hoped for the best. I came home at lunch to check on the little one, expecting the worse again, and lo and behold, he's rearranged the incubator, and is running around without falling, and is climbing all over everything!!
I tried to move him to the brooder, and he collapsed again.... Revived him and stuck him back in the incubator... Looks like I have a 24 hr patient for a while. But I guess its better than the alternative.
Forgive my dirty nails, I was tapping on the chick food, to get the chick to eat. I didn't realize there was still some on my fingers!!
