Newbie, Loss, So sad...

[HannahCrazyhawk]

Well we started with 10 healthy Brahma, Reds, and Australorp Chicks 1 month ago.
I have to admit I never thought I would become so attached to my flock. I am a Master Falconer and I see see lots of gore and hunt prey all the time with my Harris Hawk. But these babies grew on me, a lot.
After 1 week, with all measures taken to increase comfort, etc, even put my plush giraffe that I was saving for a darn baby of my own in their container.
1 started to sneeze, the smallest Red, then 3 days after 5 died in my hands. The 3 left that took sicker each moment I gave to my hawk who appreciated the meal, I figured it was better then having them all die a slow bronchial death for another 3 days.
Now the math equals 2 Chicks.
We bought 7 Bantam Babies; to add to our healthy 2. They are great together, despite the 2 week age-gap.

Yesterday they were 3 weeks, strong and healthy, a Cockerel Brahma and huge Australorp Pullet. (Affectionately named Dende and Gertrude). I have yet to attach myself to any of the Bantams yet...hope I will.

Each day we let the 2 "Survivors" play in the grass. Today for a moment, is all it takes to not have them in a box or on your person for a bloody feral cat to sneak in and grab our poor large Gertie, she screamed so loud.

So we are feeling really discouraged now. Our poor guy is really missing his lady; fortunately we have 7 baby Bantams to keep him from crying perpetually. SO much death.

All the more reason to build a badass fortress for them, akin to my Hawkhouse.

Well. Here's to hoping they do well and we have 8 healthy chickens for a long time.

Newbie, hard knocks, I appreciate the flock more now!


RIP Gertie ~

 

[Mamabrinkles]

I'm so sorry your start has been so hard! I have a baby girl named Gertie also. Here hoping your sad days are behind you and you get to enjoy this more from now on!

 

[HannahCrazyhawk]

We hope so too! I am looking at small/medium coops with runs for sure, since feral cats will go anywhere. My hawk keeps other raptors at bay but he cannot handle a large cat, ugh.
Thank youuuu!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

I'm SO SORRY to hear of your losses!!;( That's the worse thing a chicken owner and lover can go through! Hopefully you'll have lots of joy with the other peepers!Good luck with the remaining chicks. We are here to help if you have any over questions or just need someone to talk chickens with! Again, SOOOOO sorry. Welcome to BYC though

 

[HannahCrazyhawk]

Thank you, I adore this website. You all are so supportive and super knowledgeable.
I am impressed and thankful for BYC's site, it is so well laid out and optimized for us mobile geeks.

If you all ever have any bird of prey questions I am here
Here's to the future for my babies and lone Brahma, Dende.

 

[Mamabrinkles]

One bit of advice on that is if you have a lot of predators where you live is don't buy the cheap coops. I have one, it's adorable, but the wood is so thin a predator could easily break in and we have to keep it covered as water would easily cause permanent damage. We are blessed to only need to protect our girls from the neighbors cats. Either spend the money to get a good one or build a good one yourself.

 

[HannahCrazyhawk]

Agreed!

We live on the edge of a small high-desert town, so I think free-range may be asking for it!

 

[dynomitegirl]

Because you have experience with hawks I have a question. We have 2 hawks that circle our rural dessert property for several hours each day. I kind of like them because I am not a big fan of mice but we have had three adult silkies (3-4lb birds) disappear over the last 5 days. Do you think the hawks could have taken them? It seems like a lot even if they had a nest of young to feed. My teen age boys would like to get into falconry but I haven't quite agreed yet.