I accidentally killed one of my chicks.

[MarySue]

Thank you.

 

[azygous]

You've come to the right place for comforting. You're in good company, many of us having had the horrifying experience you've just had. A few years back when I was brooding in my run for the first time, I accidentally trapped a new chick under a plastic tote lid and suffocated it. I didn't get over the horrifying image for seven months.

But time heals. Each day you will heal a bit until the hurt is gone. Just understand that baby chicks have suicidal impulses, and they will seem to seek out opportunities to get themselves killed. It's not all your fault.

 

[Dawnclucks22]

Oh no! I'm so sorry about your chick. Something like this happened to me with one of my bantams once... It was horrible. I still blame myself today and not only am I glad that there are people here with similar experiences but that we can learn to let go as well.

 

[MarySue]

Thank you both! It's so hard to look at my Wendy with her 2 little ones and not feel so guilty and horrible. She is such a good mama

 

[feather13]

That's a sad accident. I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[TwoCrows]

I am so sorry.

 

[BantyChooks]

I'm so sorry....

Accidents happen. The most careful of us still have them, often with disastrous results. Like others said, don't beat yourself up over it.

 

[DrFeathers]

I inadvertently killed one of our chicks the very first night we had them. Had to lie to my then 3.5 year old daughter about it. Still feel guilty about both.

 

[MarySue]

 

[OnnieMae]

I am so sad and devastated. I had a 7 day old chick with pasty butt that I was trying to check. I usually do it at night but the mama and babies were in an enclosure so I thought I'd just quick grab it, look at his butt and let it go. He got away from me so I went after him and one of the others ran toward me instead of away without my realizing the shift and I stepped on it. I don't want to be graphic but I had to kill it to put it out of it's misery. It was horrible an I just can't get past it tonight.

I am so sorry. I stress over my chicks all of the time. When I want through their yard I just kind of shuffle so I don't step on them. I don't know why they think they need to be at my feet all the time.