EMERGENCY - Should I just put the chick down?

[gander007]

I mixed a couple drops of ACV in with some water & administered it with a dropper. She then pooped n stared foaming at the mouth. She had become so responsive before that but I believe she just died. She was swallowing food, opening her eyes & moving a tad. Nothing now :/

X 3 So sorry for he loss but you did everything you could .....

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

So, now comes the hard part - time for that sit down with your kids where you go over the importance of being good stewards to the animals who are entrusted into our care. This isn't about blaming your son or making him feel badly, it is about taking an unfortunate situation and making it a life lesson that will, hopefully, help him to move forward with a better grasp of the gravity of how his actions can have a direct impact on the lives of others and why it is SO important that we do what we say we will do/have done, especially when the lives of others are at stake. He didn't mean to kill the bird - he just didn't think about the unintended consequences of the choice he made to shirk his duty. You don't take him off of chicken duty - you keep him on it, with this being his job EVERY day- those birds eat and drink before he does - and you go along behind him EVERY day and verify that it has been done and, if he hasn't done so at the times he knows he is supposed to he goes right out there and does that chore as well as a few more (or other consequences as per your parenting style). While we have not had a loss of life result, I have caught my kids (when they were younger) not necessarily doing what they were supposed to have done. Leaving an animal without food or water in our home is a cardinal sin........

 

[dawg53]

Sorry you lost her.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Sorry to see you lost your chick. You did everything you could.

 

[cmchickens]

So, now comes the hard part - time for that sit down with your kids where you go over the importance of being good stewards to the animals who are entrusted into our care. This isn't about blaming your son or making him feel badly, it is about taking an unfortunate situation and making it a life lesson that will, hopefully, help him to move forward with a better grasp of the gravity of how his actions can have a direct impact on the lives of others and why it is SO important that we do what we say we will do/have done, especially when the lives of others are at stake. He didn't mean to kill the bird - he just didn't think about the unintended consequences of the choice he made to shirk his duty. You don't take him off of chicken duty - you keep him on it, with this being his job EVERY day- those birds eat and drink before he does - and you go along behind him EVERY day and verify that it has been done and, if he hasn't done so at the times he knows he is supposed to he goes right out there and does that chore as well as a few more (or other consequences as per your parenting style). While we have not had a loss of life result, I have caught my kids (when they were younger) not necessarily doing what they were supposed to have done. Leaving an animal without food or water in our home is a cardinal sin........

Very good advise, and a fine way of teaching children responsibility, and the consequences of their actions.

 

[mmulcare89]

I strongly agree!! All 4 of our kids have been assisting & helping on our property so this would simply be the next step. As soon as the spring hit, all 5 of our hens went broody so we have had a lot of chicks lately. We currently have 30 or so. Our last hatch consisted of 14 chicks alone & we still have a hen out in the blackberries sitting on eggs somewhere. Thank you all for your support & advice. That is why I absolutely love to come here. There are so many children these days who haven't a clue as to what responsibility is & end up having babies of their own by age 16. Because of everyone here, I have learned so much & have been able to offer my children something that not all children get the pleasure of experiencing. Again, thank you all for your kind words, support & advice. It is greatly appreciated & our children will walk away from this with a lesson learned + some!!

 

[Sarevan]

Sorry for your loss, now you have the chance to teach a very important life lesson that will have an impact on your family.

Teaching that any pet or animal is totally dependent on us can be scary, the consequences of depriving care and that there is no "reset button" in life has to be shown even when death occurs. All kids should be shown these types of lessons.

I would get the remaining chickens on nutridrench, electrolytes, and wet feed to help recovery. I have added the nutridrench to wet feed for rescue hens. Add acv, a mild solution to waterer once a week. Put together an emergency care kit for future problems and teach the kids too.

Again sorry for your losses, and may the conversation with the kids be successful.