Heartsick

[aart]

please keep your fingers crossed that the chickens are still well and I can go get them out!

So glad to hear from you...stay safe!

 

[andreanar]

Just read this post and my heart sank for you and your family. I'm just so glad you all got out safely. And glad to hear your chickens were ok, so far. Praying for you all. And sending a thank you up for all that I have in my life.

 

[lazy gardener]

Thankful

 

[sourland]

Sorry for your losses, but overjoyed that not ALL was lost.

 

[All Ball]

I echo everyone's sentiments - so sorry to hear of your losses. This happened so suddenly - the U.S. has had so many people devastated by disasters this year. Folks in the southeast at least had hurricane warnings - this fire did not give you any notice. You did the best you could. I hope you, your friends and loved ones are getting the community support and resources you need.

 

[Stephine]

This has been such a roller coaster... I have said good buy to these chickens three times now, and hello three times, too.
Last time I posted I had been turned away by police just about 2 miles away from them. I was so crushed. Then I resolved to get them the next morning if possible. Called around and was told NoWay can you reenter the evacuation zone. Waited to see if that would change. Then the lady who lived in our cottage calls me and says they are on our property! What on earth? Apparently there were side roads involved and please and a cop who said: I can’t let you in here! - but I also can’t stop you if you go anyway... ! This time she had a car! She told me to come quickly and get the chickens. The firefighters had told her that this was the last chance for reentry for the next few days because the wind was going to turn and pick up again. Doublechecked fire situation and determined I couldn’t justify risking my kids life or even my own, for the chickens. Resigned myself to loosing them after all. Then an hour later I get a call from said lady that she stuffed all 13 hens and one rooster into an 18x 30 crate and gotten them out. She really had to battle the rooster and they were sitting on top of each other but they were out!!! (she got two of her three cats too). We met and I took my chickens to my daughter’s former grade school teacher who has a farm and said she could keep them nice and cozy there. When we arrived we found that there really wasn’t any good spot for them! There was a small fenced in area using chicken wire, that was not fixed to the ground or to much of anything really. She just pressed it in place. I asked if there were no predators and she said just a fox - say what???
I asked if maybe there was a better spot and she ended up scooping her brandnew older chicks out of their open wire bottom coup putting them in my crate and giving the “coop” over to my big girls and guy. There was an automatic waterer full of dark slime clinging to the sides, and a box with two nails sticking out in there. I took the box out.... Anyway, that set up is not good and her chicks are unsafe as any racoon can reach through the wires of the crate...
I am so used to doing the best for my chickies and making absolutely sure they are safe - this setup gives me the willies! I guess they’re more my pets than life stock after all? Anyway, I will look for better accommodations tomorrow.
Two of the hens got so pecked they were bleeding over large spots so I took them with me, separated by cardboard in the smaller wire pen. Fits two much better than 14 . The lowest one on the totem pole and the top hen. Interesting? The lowest one was in worse shape - I bet she didn’t get much if any of the scarce feed and scarcer water. She drank anlot last night but barely ate. This morning she was puffed up and miserable. I bought veterycin, peck-no-more and nutri drench in a hurry (actually the nice lady at the feed store gave it all away for free when she heard my story - people are soo nice), and made her drink some drops of the nutridrench which she was not unhappy about. She perked up a little and tonight - after yet another ride in the car to our new temporary rental, ate a ton of crumbles our lovely landlady provided. Hopefully she is on the mend!
I am still worried about lung damage from the smoke and random disease from being exposed to other chickens (it tends to be the people who have chickens themselves who open their doors and hearts to them). I will give nutri drench in the water to everyone tomorrow and get the feed they are used to. Will also buy Corid. Do you think I should give it preemptively in a few days because I can’t keep such a close eye on them as I am used to?
Should I get or do something else?
Thank you again for all the empathy and kind wishes. It makes such a difference!

 

[igorsMistress]

Why put em through that if they don't need it? You'll be feeding and watering regardless, it only takes a minute to check and I'll bet you'll be hyper vigilant for a bit anyway.

 

[Stephine]

Why put em through that if they don't need it? You'll be feeding and watering regardless, it only takes a minute to check and I'll bet you'll be hyper vigilant for a bit anyway.

Sorry, I don’t understand - put them through what?

 

[lazy gardener]

IM is saying (I think) Why give them Corid if they really don't need it. Is there any way you can get back to where your flock is currently staying and use some fiberglass fence posts/poultry wire to make a larger enclosure for them? Or can you bring them to your new temporary rental? So glad you and your animals are safe. Praying God's blessing on you and yours, and the others affected by this disaster.

 

[igorsMistress]

Exactly. Why treat them for what they don't have on top of what they've been through already. Sorry, not implying anything.