Dealing with Loss of 1st Chicken

[countryladyNH]

Don’t beat yourself up, rather use all of your pent-up anger at yourself to fortify your coop so that this can never happen again.

This might be an unpopular opinion, but just because you’ve read on BYC where severely injured birds were rehabilitated, doesn’t necessarily mean that should be tried. I know that chickens are extremely resilient and seem to heal miraculously, but that doesn’t mean they don’t feel extreme pain. IMHO, being “a fighter” doesn’t always mean they should be used as a guinea pig to see if they can be brought back from the dead.

I am sorry for your loss, but I’m glad your girl isn’t suffering anymore.

Whoa...That's a little harsh.

 

[Mimi13]

Whoa...That's a little harsh.

Definitely didn’t mean to be. And I have already apologized to the OP.

 

[bobbi-j]

Whoa...That's a little harsh.

But realistic. Yes, chickens can overcome horrific injuries, but how long and how badly do they suffer while healing? Sometimes the kindest thing is to prevent suffering instead of prolonging death.

 

[PFZ in KC]

One of the things about this community that I have really come to respect and appreciate is the wide variety of viewpoints represented. I am one of the people that views our chickens through the same emotional lens as I would a cat or dog, and most people would at the very least not understand that, if not feel that is on the extreme side. I can respect that and I don’t mind hearing other perspectives. I think one advantage to this site is that there are people on here that can validate your feelings even when they seem off base to others. I will never eat our girls, (don’t tell our Delaware BB-8, it is my go to threat when she is yelling ) but I sometimes read things in the meat birds forum out of sheer curiosity. In my experience, becoming very emotional over a pet’s death is a very important part of life, it is a marker and something that makes me stronger and more compassionate in the end. There is also nothing wrong with not feeling that sense of deep emotional connection with your birds, it really doesn’t have any significance to how good a person you are or how well you care for your flock.

Well said. Thank you for that.

 

[Shezadandy]

I am so sorry... your post made me cry xo
We had a raccoon problem. I’m a new chicken owner since April also.. we had some original chickens, then added 6 gorgeous fluffy baby Silkies. A raccoon actually opened the window of the coop with its thumbs- and one by one- a raccoon went in & took a chicken out... it was horrible... feathers everywhere. I was so disgusted by this beautiful new coop, I let it sit- finally I cleaned it, saged it lol ... we have like coop cams lol... I’m so so sorry...

Did you add hardware cloth to the exterior of your windows? That's the simplest way to keep windows open and raccoons out.

It's reasonably easy to do.

Cut a piece of 1/2" hardware cloth (tin or "aviation snips" work well) to 1" shorter than the height of your window TRIM and 1" shorter than the width of your window TRIM.

You can either take the existing trim off and screw the hardware cloth into your siding (or use a staple gun) at the 4 corners, then re-install your window trim over the hardware cloth ...

OR

Leave your window trim in place, screw or staple-gun the hardware cloth into the existing window trim - then cut a second set of window trim boards, and screw them in over the hardware cloth.

I would screw the outer window trim in every 6" at least.

I secured mine on the inside too- used hinges to make the window accessible for opening and closing.

 

[Foxinthehenhouse]

https://www.heritageacresmarket.com...agement-of-common-backyard-chicken-predators/

 

[Allthefloofs]

But realistic. Yes, chickens can overcome horrific injuries, but how long and how badly do they suffer while healing? Sometimes the kindest thing is to prevent suffering instead of prolonging death.

It is true, but there are better places to be blunt than in a grief thread. It really does come across as insensitive under the circumstances. In this case you come across as a person who wants to be right before being kind. Is that really how you want to be viewed?

 

[Mrs. K]

Well Althefloofs - you are being a bit judgmental, and the person did apologize.

 

[Allthefloofs]

I am being a bit judge mental of people that can’t just simply be sympathetic when someone is grieving, that is true. I don’t go into threads where people are talking about butchering their birds and start talking about how it is cruel, it isn’t the time or the place. That was my point.

 

[Allthefloofs]

Well Althefloofs - you are being a bit judgmental, and the person did apologize.

Well Althefloofs - you are being a bit judgmental, and the person did apologize.

Also, I actually agree in general with Bobbi-j but I wouldn’t be saying that in a grief thread, it isn’t helpful and doesn’t at all validate what the person is feeling, which is in essence the point of the post. There is a time and a place.