Dead chicks = Crying kids :(

[DEchick]

I will admit that I only got chickens (about a year ago) because the kids wanted them for easter. Yep, I'm one of 'those' people. But I have become totally attached and I love our chickens! Probably more than the kids do now that the chicks are fully grown. I cried my eyes out when a fox got into our coop and killed a mama and her eggs, leaving behind nothing but feathers

I recently got three babies from a friend and the bigger one killed the other two the first night! Taught me a big lesson about getting chicks of different ages. This was about a week ago. The remaining chick became super friendly and got loads of attention. Just last night he was running around, chasing my daughter, and having a grand old time. This morning he was dead!!! My 4 year old son found him and cried for almost an hour! He just laid in bed, hugging his cat, Marley, and cried and cried! Im bummed too! He was such a sweet chick (even if he was a murderer) We ordered some chicks from a hatchery and they should be here in June. I dont want this to happen again!! Ive been searching the internet and reading everything I can to avoid history repeating. This did not happen with the first set of chicks we got, and I had no clue what I was doing! The first chicks we got were outside in a coop at around 5 weeks. No problems. I kept this one inside (because I was told it was better, and the chick was too young to be outside) and it died. I cant help but feel like I killed him. I feel like a bad chicken mama! I certainly dont want this to happen to the others. Any advice on what to do when the chicks arrive from the hatchery to have them do better than this?? Ive read alot online, but advice from people who do this everyday would be soooo much more helplful! Thanks in advance! (Please dont yell at me for killing chicks

I already feel bad enough)

 

[Okie Amazon]

I don't think anyone here would yell at you for losing chicks and even adult chickens. It happens to everybody, from the newbies to the raised-em-for-years. I am sorry your kids are having to go through the loss, that's hard. When your new babies arrive, this is definitely the place for all your questions. Welcome!

 

[chikincrazee]

Dont beat yourself up about sometimes they just die ...we lost a lovely silkie this winter she was fine one day and dead the next and yes my son cried as did I....hopefully you will have more luck with the next batch...sorry about the pet chick dieing its hard on the kids but its part of being a farmer even a backyard version

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

Sad, but that is the way it often goes with chickens. Easiest just to accept it as just that, though that's harder for kids I think. There are just so many things that can go wrong that you can't prevent every possibility.

I had to put down a second silky chick last night, it just started gasping and slowly went down hill. I told my daughter (who was already complaining about having to clean the incubator out) that farming was not all fluffy chicks and babby lambs. I think she is catching on that in raising animals you need to take the good and bad in stride.

You have done fine, its just the way it goes, you nailed down keeping the preditors out and not mixing sizes without a close eye them. Even then when you think you have it all under control something else will get a bird or they will just up and die for no preventable reason.

Reading the books and articals is good, but it does come down to experience, the more you keep at keeping chickens the better you will get at it. Loosing them from time to time is simply unavoidable.

 

[DEchick]

Thank you all very much! I saw on other forums (not this site) people being yelled at and called stupid for making a mistake with their chicks! Im glad I found a group that has more compassion than that! So thank you again

Im still reading everything I can, and I have recruited my brother-in-law (who has had chickens his whole life) to help me when the babies arrive next month!

 

[cafarmgirl]

I've seen people get blasted too in other forum's when they came looking for help or advice, really makes me mad. I used to belong to a specific dog breed forum and people regularly got yelled at horribly by the long-time-member groupies when they were just trying to get help with their dogs. There's occasionally a few sharp tongues here too but nothing like a lot of other places. You've come to the right place!

Hope your next batch of babies is a better experience! Oh and

 

[Nicole01]

I'm so very sorry for your loss. It's never easy losing a pet.

.

 

[gryeyes]

Oh, my goodness - who would yell at someone for losses? It HAPPENS! Now, if you bought chicks, didn't give them heat, fed them Froot Loops, and tossed them outside "because I see chicks outside in other yeards," AND you didn't provide shelter, then there might be some all caps yelling going on.

But that's not the case.

Good luck with your next chicks!

And

from Califorina!

 

[DEchick]

Thank you all again for the warm welcome and the compassion! No, Gryeyes, thats certainly not the case LOL although I am sure my older chickens wouldnt be offended at all if I gave them froot loops! I joke that I dont have chickens at all, just pigs that look alot like chickens (They'll eat anything! My goodness! Dont dare try to have a picnic!)

 

[suzeqf]

i'm sorry losing chicks is no fun my daughter cried for an hour or so too when she lost her first rescue banty, I too have been on message boards and was even banned from a certain dog board for posting in the wrong spot after only my 5 or so post. People come to message boards for information and never deserve to be yelled at.