My chicks have all gotten their flight feathers by now (they are 2 weeks old), and every one of them loves to periodically flap like crazy and run around the brooder. Well, them one of them does this it becomes chick pandemonium and a few of them will slam into the walls. They are also trying to fly out of the brooder (it's a bathtub in an unused bathroom), and I really need them to stay there until my dad finishes the coop.
So last night I decided to clip their wings for a quick fix and the last one was the one that really hates to be held. I know about blood feathers and how to avoid cutting them, but this chick was giving me a really hard time about staying still and then my DB startled me right as I cut and I nicked the tip of a blood feather. The little girl screamed; I didn't know they could feel it! I tried the whole chicken hypnosis thingy to clam her while DB grabbed me some corn starch, and it appeared to have coagulated even before I put anything on it. Just to be safe I kept her from the rest of the group until it was too dark for them to see anything in case it started to bleed. I keep checking on her and there is no bleeding, but I still feel horrible about the whole thing.
Has anyone else, even you super-duper chicken heroes who have had birds for years, done this or something else you think of as a rookie mistake and felt like and idiot later?
So last night I decided to clip their wings for a quick fix and the last one was the one that really hates to be held. I know about blood feathers and how to avoid cutting them, but this chick was giving me a really hard time about staying still and then my DB startled me right as I cut and I nicked the tip of a blood feather. The little girl screamed; I didn't know they could feel it! I tried the whole chicken hypnosis thingy to clam her while DB grabbed me some corn starch, and it appeared to have coagulated even before I put anything on it. Just to be safe I kept her from the rest of the group until it was too dark for them to see anything in case it started to bleed. I keep checking on her and there is no bleeding, but I still feel horrible about the whole thing.
Has anyone else, even you super-duper chicken heroes who have had birds for years, done this or something else you think of as a rookie mistake and felt like and idiot later?