Blooie's Blankie Fort

[scottcaddy]

I have EMPTY coops (2 in fact) and am holding off on putting anything in them so I can hatch again in Spring. I have a nice mix of birds from different genetic pools and since I made the decision to not try and breed purebreds it's made chicken keeping life a lot simpler.
My poor Buff Brahma rooster has given himself a sore leg running all over 11 acres trying to cover 40+ hens though. He takes his duties very seriously!

 

[User395221]

So, how many new chicks did you end up getting, Blooie?

 

[Blooie]

Well, he ordered 15. We got 17. All arrived looking good except two that were pretty weak, since they sat at a loading dock in Casper, WY from 7 am until 3 am - yep, no typo there - before being loaded for one last multi hour drive up here, ending 4 days of shipping. Those two died shortly after we got them. Of the 17, 10 were extremely small...visibly smaller than the rest. A few at a time, they have also died. So now I have 7 left as of this morning. I'm really disheartened, but I know it's not because of anything I've done. I may stink at hatching eggs, but raising chicks has never been a problem before this batch. And it's been every one of the teeniest ones. <sigh>

 

[aart]

Well, he ordered 15. We got 17. All arrived looking good except two that were pretty weak, since they sat at a loading dock in Casper, WY from 7 am until 3 am - yep, no typo there - before being loaded for one last multi hour drive up here, ending 4 days of shipping. Those two died shortly after we got them. Of the 17, 10 were extremely small...visibly smaller than the rest. A few at a time, they have also died. So now I have 7 left as of this morning. I'm really disheartened, but I know it's not because of anything I've done. I may stick at hatching eggs, but raising chicks has never been a problem before this batch. And it's been every one of the teeniest ones. <sigh>

I'm thinking this is what did them in.....
....hard to get good postal service any more when you live as rural as you are.

 

[User395221]

I'm really disheartened, but I know it's not because of anything I've done. I may stink at hatching eggs, but raising chicks has never been a problem before this batch. And it's been every one of the teeniest ones. <sigh>

As much as we know these things happen, it doesn't make it any easier when dealing with it.

 

[Blooie]

No, it sure doesn't. But the ones that have survived are doing quite well, so I'm just going to focus on them and not what we've lost. It's still hard to take after 6 batches of chicks without a single loss. Thought we'd be smart and order for delivery later in the year. Shoot, we did better when we had chicks arrive in February when it was -17 on delivery day......same postal routine and transit time, too.

 

[scottcaddy]

Scott

 

[User395221]

so I'm just going to focus on them and not what we've lost.

It's the only option. One of my chicks died in the shell and I think "oh, I should have noticed, helped him get out, something, something." I don't know how I would have noticed anything or known what to do as it was my first and only experience of hatching eggs, but still there's the feelings that it's somehow your own fault, even when you know it isn't. "If onlys" don't get you anywhere at all.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

It's the only option.  One of my chicks died in the shell and I think "oh, I should have noticed, helped him get out, something, something."  I don't know how I would have noticed anything or known what to do as it was my first and only experience of hatching eggs, but still there's the feelings that it's somehow your own fault, even when you know it isn't.  "If onlys" don't get you anywhere at all. 

So True. I always say, no matter what you decide, you have to accept it and move on, consider it a learning experience or you'll drive yourself crazy with the what ifs. If you don't help and a chick dies you are going to wonder if you did help would it have lived? If you help and it dies you are going to wonder if I left it alone, would it have lived? You just have to make the best decision you can, and accept the outcome.

 

[scottcaddy]

Are you saying to just be responsible and reasonable at the same time?
I have 11 eggs under a broody, I don't think I can pull that off.
Scott