I can't stop crying! Early this afternoon I brought my 7 week old Cuckoo Maran pullet Kevin out to free range in the warm backyard, the dogs were out with her, so I knew nothing would bother her, but then the wind kicked up and she was having a hard time staying grounded, so I brought her in. I gave her a slice of watermelon and let her run about the living room. I am always soo careful when she is out, warning my husband every time he moves that Kevin is out, and be careful not to step on her. But I was the threat, it was me that carelessly moved about and stepped on my poor baby. I immediately jumped back, and started to panic as she kinda ran/flopped around the living room, my husband quickly scooped her up and held her close as I started to sob. At first it just seemed she was in shock, and not hurt too bad, but she quickly began to go limp, she wouldn't stand or hold her head up, and she seemed to struggle to keep her eyes open. We called a vet, they told us to keep her comfortable, and if it is shock it will wear off in 4-6 hours, but if it didn't then we would need to put her down. So my husband held her for about a half hour, stroking her, and all I could do was pet her and continuously tell her how sorry I was. Finally my husband put her in her brooder so she could be nice and warm under her heat lamp, but he went back in about 10 minutes later to check on her, and my poor baby was gone.
I feel so horrible, she was my baby, I have hatched tons of chicks, but Kevin was the first I ever kept, in fact she was my first pet chicken. She was a single hatching, with a deformed foot that I splinted so she could walk. She became close with me because she was an only chick. I always thought she hated me, until her first visit outside when she was scared, so she kept jumping in my lap. Just last night I old Hubby we needed to get the coop built because she had started using me as a roost. She love her daily crickets, and I would crack up watching her hunt them down then run around flaunting her catch.
I can't believe she's gone. I feel soo bad, and miss her so much, that I told my husband I was done with chickens, and put my 3 polish pullets up on craigslist. I have 10 eggs in the incubator that I was sooo excited about, and I'm hoping by the time they hatch in 10 days I will feel differently, but right now I am so hurt and mad at my self, not to mention the guilt, that I'm not sure I even want chickens anymore. How can I forgive myself. DH keeps telling me to let up on myself it was an accident, and that Kevin knew I would never hurt her on porpose, but still, I took my sweet babies life, and I can't forgive myself for that.
I feel so horrible, she was my baby, I have hatched tons of chicks, but Kevin was the first I ever kept, in fact she was my first pet chicken. She was a single hatching, with a deformed foot that I splinted so she could walk. She became close with me because she was an only chick. I always thought she hated me, until her first visit outside when she was scared, so she kept jumping in my lap. Just last night I old Hubby we needed to get the coop built because she had started using me as a roost. She love her daily crickets, and I would crack up watching her hunt them down then run around flaunting her catch.
I can't believe she's gone. I feel soo bad, and miss her so much, that I told my husband I was done with chickens, and put my 3 polish pullets up on craigslist. I have 10 eggs in the incubator that I was sooo excited about, and I'm hoping by the time they hatch in 10 days I will feel differently, but right now I am so hurt and mad at my self, not to mention the guilt, that I'm not sure I even want chickens anymore. How can I forgive myself. DH keeps telling me to let up on myself it was an accident, and that Kevin knew I would never hurt her on porpose, but still, I took my sweet babies life, and I can't forgive myself for that.


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