My baby chick was killed last night :(

[MorgieAndAuggie]

I had one chick to take care of, and he was killed last night. My mom didn't even tell me he was an actual chicken, I was led to believe he was a guinea keet. My parents assumed he was in my room last night, and he wasn't because I don't like having him in my room and having to move him around a whole bunch. I needed him to be used to his outdoor cage. Fluffy feathers were everywhere but we couldn't find his body. Cats come around occasionally and that's what we think happened. I think it's completely my fault that this happened, I had no idea how to take care of him.

This isn't the first time I accidentally killed a chick. The only time I raised a chicken was a rooster I saved from a cat a few years ago. He was going through his ugly stage so we didn't even know what he was, he was like a preteen rooster? He grew up to be one of the red with a blue tail roosters, he was gorgeous. After he died, my mom got a baby baby chick and I squeezed it a little too hard...

I'm only getting a fish from now on.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I think it's completely my fault that this happened, I had no idea how to take care of him.

No chick or guinea keet should be raised alone, and they have different feed requirements depending on the species. Your parents should not be bringing animals without instructions AND support on rearing. I am sorry for your loss and experience.

In California, lots of things love chicken dinner including hawks, raccoons, rats, opossum, cats, domestic dog, weasel, owl, etc.

Water quality matters when keeping fish.. including temperature, ph and a whole host of other factors. Please don't keep any animal you can't provide fully for, and if possible do your research ahead of time.

Especially please tell your mom to quit bringing home single chicks.

Your previous rooster sounds lovely. Post a pic in loving memory of him and in honor of this most recent chicks short life, if you're able and it would feel good to to share.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Always research, research, research before getting any animal. Forums like this are great places to learn proper animal care. Pet stores are not. Most pet store are not taking proper care of their animals. Betas aren't as easy to care for as they make it seem.

 

[m0ther_g00se]

How about a goldfish? That's like a genuine question.

goldfish seem easy, but they're actually quite deceptive. technically they're carp, so they have the same growth patterns and potential that carp do, which isn't really conducive to living in a bowl or a small tank. they also produce a HUGE bioload compared to other kinds of freshwater aquarium fish. They really do best in an outdoor pond setting, from what i can tell.

 

[StinkyAcres]

How about a goldfish? That's like a genuine question.

I'm not very experienced with fish, but I do know that goldfish require large tanks with filters and air pumps and regular cleaning and water treatment. Fish are not easy pets. I believe there are some other threads in this forum for discussing pet fish.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I have killed so many chicks during my teen years, that I lost count. Now when a chick dies on me is because of other reasons beyond my power and it always hurt. But that's what happens when you raise chickens, not all of them make it.

But there is a difference between an accidental death and one that is due to Negligence. And your case is border line Negligence. If you and your parents don't have the means to keep chickens, perhaps you shouldn't be keeping chickens.

I tend to agree, unfortunately. This thread was kind if hard to read for me. But I take animal care seriously - always have. So I thought it was just me who read this and was a little put off.

 

[MorgieAndAuggie]

For a toy weiner dog, maybe name it after some kind of sausage? Pepperoni, Salami, Bratwurst, Kielbasa, Chorizo...

Frank

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

That's sort of what happened with my chicken and duck I have right now except they were like "brooded" together? I don't know but they're kind of okay now. Since they weren't separated they keep trying to mate and my parents aren't doing anything about that either.

You know what we just shouldn't have animals

And I agree it should've been like my parents responsibility to teach me what to even do. I feel like they blame me but they didn't teach me... So is it their fault? I don't know.

There is no one that should be blamed for the sake of blaming. Blame causes hurt feelings, mistrust and resentment. But deal with the situation rather than assign blame.
Here’s my take on your situation.
Responsibility lies with all in this chicks case. Your parents should have know better than assume you understood or were even aware if the needs of a hatchling chick. As life coaches the parents should have first educated themselves in order to pass on information you. When that didnt happen and you were facing an unfamiliar task of chick mom, the responsibility to become self motivated and educate yourself for the sake of the chicks life falls to you. You can ask parents for help, search the internet and read. You did well seeking out BYC to post so it can be assumed you can navigate the sight. Take full advantage of the sight and educate yourself so that you learn and one day pass on that knowledge. Most articles in the learning center are easy to read and short enough to get right to the point. Know that there is not one person on BYC that instinctively knew how to care for chickens. We all, even the professional veterinarians on BYC, started out just like you…uncertain what to do, not too confident in abilities at first, and full of unasked questions. Not one was instantly granted expert status and honorary experience just for reading. Experience is doingas there are plenty of people with fancy book learning degrees that can’t change a lightbulb! But despite expertise of our most experienced BYC folks they can (and do) still make a mistake… that is the learning process. In order to learn you must read it, do it, evaluate it for mistakes re-do, teach it to someone else, then re-evaluate again and again. Remeber that life lesson... Reflect on what went wrong with this chick, list it out without blame, then THINK of how/what you can to differently for a better experience then try again being more informed. Take control of your knowledge and educate yourself, then you can teach someone else with a similar problem as you become the expert (maybe teach your parents about flock animals needing a companion to become a flock wink, wink).
sorry for long lecture post but in life the buck will always stop with you and end with you in self pity UNLESS you actively do something to take charge of what you are able to in order to move toward self growth. keep curious and ask ask ask questions.. we live for this stuff. You got this!

 

[nicalandia]

I have killed so many chicks during my teen years, that I lost count. Now when a chick dies on me is because of other reasons beyond my power and it always hurt. But that's what happens when you raise chickens, not all of them make it.

But there is a difference between an accidental death and one that is due to Negligence. And your case is border line Negligence. If you and your parents don't have the means to keep chickens, perhaps you shouldn't be keeping chickens.

 

[MorgieAndAuggie]

WHAT ARE THESE EMOJIS