Blind Chick!

[the_kitchen__drawer]

How are the other four chicks doing? No signs of visual issues with them?

it seems that one more has *very* slight issues. But, honestly, with the extra mush, everyone is doing fine.

this is when I say good news comes with bad news. Andei has been eating and eating and eating, and yet, dropping weight. We’re down to 30, her lowest. It’s so gut wrenching because her personality and independence and energy is at its highest. Her crop is emptying and filling back up normally, its usually pretty full, and I’m giving her extra food. It’s just not enough. I’m going to boil some eggs and work on getting that and cottage cheese, if we have it, into her. With grit, of course. I’m trying to stay optimistic, but the numbers make me sick to my stomach.

 

[the_kitchen__drawer]

News, again. It seems to isolation brooder and 24/7 watching her is doing the trick. She ate the egg white until I could see her lil crop, just like it should be. I was so happy! Mixed it in with the chick crumble for her and when she woke up she went for it, again. We’re all the way back up to 33 grams, with Brienne at 37. they’ll be staying in this brooder until they’re more stable. As much as I worry that there will be fighting between the sisters once they reintergrate, I need to know that Missandei is getting her fill. Once she’s more stable, I’ll have them in the main brooder at night. it turns out, as well, that Andei doesn’t like grit. i tried just offering it, nope. Putting it on her beak, nope. It’s the only thing she’s ever actively spit out. So.. I crammed it into her beak when she cheaped and kept her from shaking it out. Success. Even if she hated it

 

[Callender Girl]

Because I've always fed chick feeder, I have never thought to try giving grit to chicks.

However, the fact that she has enough energy to "fight" you on it, makes me think she's one feisty little girl. I think that's a good thing -- she has some spirit in her!

 

[the_kitchen__drawer]

Unfortunately, we lost Missandei last night.

i don’t know why, after being such a fighter, eating and drinking, that she did. But she did. When I walked in this morning, she was still loose.it look me a minute of holding her to realize and accept I felt no heart beat. I saved a few of her feathers. My fight isn’t, because I still have her sisters. Including Brienne, which I’m worried has hearing issues. Just my luck, right? I am okay, I know I did my best, I know these things happen. But, still, it sucks. I wanted to see her grow up. I was so proud of her getting her butt feathers in. Nothing gold can stay, though, and I enjoyed our time together.

 

[Callender Girl]

I am so sorry.

She didn't live long, but you know you gave her the best possible life for that short time. Whenever I've lost one way too soon, I take some consolation in knowing that they must have been able to feel how much I cared for them.

I hope things go well with all her sister, including Brienne, and they all get to grow up.

I like that you kept some of the feathers. I have a jar full of feathers from the first hens I ever lost.

 

[the_kitchen__drawer]

I’ll be adding some pictures of her last night.

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not to humanize them, but I think Brienne is missing her sister. I am, too. she was a good sister.

 

[Callender Girl]

So sweet and so sad at the same time.

 

[the_kitchen__drawer]

For everyone who remembers Missandei, I want to say we’re getting better.

i did notice her sister seeming depressed, fir lack of a better word, but we got our new chiicke. (Though, we suffered from chicken math. We came for one, left with three.)

one of them, the barred rock, is very much so the girl we needed. She loves cuddles, loves our attention. But more important, more improtsnt than anything else..

she loves Brienne. They often are found cuddling together, wing in wing. Lyanna, the barred rock, can Be foind resting in the shavings.. with brienne roosting and watching over her.

shes not a replacment, and I won’t call her that. But shes the chick we’ve needed, and when we lost Missandei, lost a lover and one fierce spirited chick, there was a definite loss. Lyanna lives up to every barred rock praise, she even tries to roost right next to brienne, no matter her age. She likes to sleep sgainst my hand, to rest her head on Brienne’s back, and though she’s less spirited, she’s sweet and calm and let’s you hold her and get the grief out. It sounds silly, to grieve a chick I had for days, but I did. And I’m glad that Lyanna has settled in so well.

 

[Callender Girl]

I am happy for you, Brienne and Lyanna (and the other chicks, too)!

It's not silly to grieve Missandei; her life was short, but you loved her for all of the time she had.

Thanks for sharing this story and the photos!

 

[the_kitchen__drawer]

Brienne and I just don’t have good luck. We lost Lyanna after fighting a cyst in her leg. we’re going to stick with each other, now, i Think.