FancyPantsChick
In the Brooder
- Jan 3, 2021
- 10
- 22
- 21
33 yr old mom of 3 living in New Jersey suburbs with a mom that shared the idea of watching my kids love and care for some not so conventional pets while learning responsibility, also benefitting from the eggs since we were in the beginning of the pandemic, not knowing what was to come, while grocery store shelves grew empty. Mixed flock of all lady chicks, 2 Pekin ducks (no idea what sex) and LOVING IT. Had them all since they were a day old and the chickens are now just about 5 months old and the ducks exactly 2 months this week. I just lost my favorite chicken, Bambi, who was a speckled Sussex, and the tiniest girl since day 1 and I'm losing sleep trying to find the culprit. No1 has anything other than an over priced dog or some cats, etc around here. So id be laughed at for crying over my dead chicken. But man did I cry! She was MINE. My kids all chose one and named it. My choice was bambi, because her markings reminded me of a deer, and she appeared to have eyeliner looking markings which was adorable. Everyone had 5th their OWN, which was of course their favorite. That's the one you favored and held the most and spoiled. So being the only adult, I spent a lot more one on one time with my girl because I cleaned the makeshift pen (in our basement for the first 3 months!) And i changed the food and read a lot about them, handling her gently and gaining her trust. Unlike kids that just grab and then get bored. Anyway.. Its January now and its been cold. She's always been tiny compared to the others but they were all different breeds so it didn't concern me because she was always smallest since the first day. But now I'm wondering was she bullied? Did winter boredom make them cannibals? Did the cold get to her? Was it coccidiosis? I found her on the ground inside their enclosure where they sleep. Insulated walls and a solar heat lamp with lots of pine shaving bedding. I knew she shouldn't be on the ground sleeping. But the other chickens were on the perch and when I open the door and start baby talking, Bambi usually came right to me. This time she didn't move. I grabbed her, stuck her inside my coat and brought her inside. My daughter held her in a blanket while I cleaned the pen and added lots more pine in case the chickens kicked her off I wanted her warm. Her feet were very cold I kept her inside about 2 hrs, fed her out of my hand and gave her water. She slept a lot. My mom assured me I had her spoiled and she was fine all the day before. Next day my father finds her dead under the makeshift mini ladder we had for them to get on the perch. He buried her in our garden and I never got to see her or investigate... I'm just crushed. This defenseless creature that relied on me for everything died. I knew something was wrong!!! So many should've could've would've. Anyway, here I am.
