MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

Wow! 72 minutes and there's no poop in the water!

Still no poop in the water!!

 

[MaryJanet]

A new fun thing: the new little coop used by the chicks is in the run, they hear the run gate make its characteristic noise, and their faces pop up to peek over the top edge of the nest box.

 

[Perris]

It's a week later and I continue to hold the view that I made the right choice in attempting an adoption once the hatch had failed. I would move heaven and earth for Mary. She is such a wonderful hen.

I found answering people online mostly exhausting and time-consuming, and by far the worst part of the process. Especially when it descended into insulting and offensive territory, like when advice comes in the format of instruction or exhortation (and it was always to superciliously inform me to do something I was already doing), or when my character came under discussion. So many egregious assumptions were made. I'm not made of time.

So I won't be sharing the next hatch in a public format. It'll be trusted old friends who already know something of the hens' environment and back story, not to mention my own character. People who know the context so thoroughly, they have no cause for assumptions. People who spread more cheer than presumption or assumption.

I am very sorry I offended you so badly; it was never my intention. I was trying to help Mary and the chicks. I'll not darken your door again.

 

[ManueB]

It's a week later and I continue to hold the view that I made the right choice in attempting an adoption once the hatch had failed. I would move heaven and earth for Mary. She is such a wonderful hen.

I found answering people online mostly exhausting and time-consuming, and by far the worst part of the process. Especially when it descended into insulting and offensive territory, like when advice comes in the format of instruction or exhortation (and it was always to superciliously inform me to do something I was already doing), or when my character came under discussion. So many egregious assumptions were made. I'm not made of time.

So I won't be sharing the next hatch in a public format. It'll be trusted old friends who already know something of the hens' environment and back story, not to mention my own character. People who know the context so thoroughly, they have no cause for assumptions. People who spread more cheer than presumption or assumption.

I had the same reaction once or twice on my thread and I don't share anymore about those issues. The difference being that I was responsible more than you because I actually asked for advice.

It has been eye opening for me reading about your hatch, Bob's, and Bdutch's. And I'm forgetting Ribh's. I had no issues with the two hatches here and I did not realise that I was very lucky. When things go right, it's easy to think that they are easy. Just like when something feels simple to learn or do, the first instinct is to believe it will be the same for others, for everybody. I also consider myself a beginner regarding hatches because I have no clue why it went right. And I don't know how I would have handled it if anything had gone wrong.

So, I'm sorry sharing made the process more stressful, but if there is one positive aspect it has made at least me rethink and learn about hatching. And I also regret if I contributed to making things difficult, especially as I have felt this way myself and feel like I should make an effort not to make others feel this way.

It's nice to see the chicks are thriving though. I wanted to stay detached from the boys too but it's difficult when a chick seeks you out and is especially cute/dumb/funny because he's a silly cockerel in the making.

 

[RoyalChick]

I had the same reaction once or twice on my thread and I don't share anymore about those issues. The difference being that I was responsible more than you because I actually asked for advice.

It has been eye opening for me reading about your hatch, Bob's, and Bdutch's. And I'm forgetting Ribh's. I had no issues with the two hatches here and I did not realise that I was very lucky. When things go right, it's easy to think that they are easy. Just like when something feels simple to learn or do, the first instinct is to believe it will be the same for others, for everybody. I also consider myself a beginner regarding hatches because I have no clue why it went right. And I don't know how I would have handled it if anything had gone wrong.

So, I'm sorry sharing made the process more stressful, but if there is one positive aspect it has made at least me rethink and learn about hatching. And I also regret if I contributed to making things difficult, especially as I have felt this way myself and feel like I should make an effort not to make others feel this way.

It's nice to see the chicks are thriving though. I wanted to stay detached from the boys too but it's difficult when a chick seeks you out and is especially cute/dumb/funny because he's a silly cockerel in the making.

I find it is easy to offend and be offended on line.
There is no opportunity to react to non-verbal clues about how words come across or are intended.
And I think we also presume a higher level of intimacy than truly exists.
It is a strange place this on-line world.
I am glad I am young enough to have experienced the phenomenon of on-line communities, and also glad I am too old to see how they evolve.

 

[Shadrach]

There are a few basic rules for social media comfort that very few people seem to follow.
This is not a personal diary/chat room. You/we have no idea who reads what we write.
1) Don't post pictures of your relatives and friends on the internet.
2) Don't use the site as an emotional valve over personal problems.
3) Don't post pictures of yourself.
4) Dial ones sensitivity level down to zero.
5) Learn to differentiate between clumbsy posting and malice.
6) Don't tag random people on someone elses thread. The thread owner may not want who you tag on their thread.

We are not all cuddly wonderfull people and it just takes one person to have their sensitivity dialed in high and another with theirs dialed low for misunderstandings to arise.
There is also the matter of language and cultural differences that need to be taken into account.

For those of us who host out own threads it's important to bear in mind that your thread is your BYC home. Make sure people wipe their feet and wring their handkerchiefs out before you let them through the door.
In the almost three years I've hosted my own thread I've only had to PM a couple of people who have busted in uninvited with no introduction and asked them to GTFO my thread. Do not be afraid to do this.

 

[MaryJanet]

Very wise words from all of you. I'm very grateful.

For me the puzzle is how over-invested complete strangers become in what's going on at my house. It's intrusive. My neighbours, friends and family take less interest. I'm also puzzled about people jumping in and taking over someone else's thread, which has never happened to me, but I have seen it done to others, usually naively. If someone starts a thread and they post on it regularly, to my mind it's their thread and the rest of us are guests who shouldn't overstay. Cheerful comments about uplifting things are appropriate, and if the host asks, share a full opinion.

And I probably was too sensitive. But I ask a lot of myself in my profession, there's really no such thing as a day off because the workload is more than I can attend to, and there are times I have run of that day's patience. Add worry about a favourite hen. Add worry about the cat. Add worry about family who are sick. Add a sleep debt. And sensitivity begins to rise.

 

[MaryJanet]

Anyway, here are some cheerful chicks having a nice time yesterday afternoon.

 

[MaryJanet]

The chicks want to be allowed out of their big house, but that calls for supervision and for the hens to be out of the run, neither of which I can do until Thursday.

On the other hand, the power supply to the heat plate has been reliable so far, so I'm on the edge of letting them stay out all night. Maybe tomorrow night, which has a forecast low of 11C.

 

[RoyalChick]

Very wise words from all of you. I'm very grateful.

For me the puzzle is how over-invested complete strangers become in what's going on at my house. It's intrusive. My neighbours, friends and family take less interest. I'm also puzzled about people jumping in and taking over someone else's thread, which has never happened to me, but I have seen it done to others, usually naively. If someone starts a thread and they post on it regularly, to my mind it's their thread and the rest of us are guests who shouldn't overstay. Cheerful comments about uplifting things are appropriate, and if the host asks, share a full opinion.

And I probably was too sensitive. But I ask a lot of myself in my profession, there's really no such thing as a day off because the workload is more than I can attend to, and there are times I have run of that day's patience. Add worry about a favourite hen. Add worry about the cat. Add worry about family who are sick. Add a sleep debt. And sensitivity begins to rise.