Warning: VERY wordy post, Sorry in advance!
Well thank you all who shared about their flocks. I have had a rough couple of days here. Yesterday I heard a ruckus and went out to check on the girls and found my Australorp in very bad shape. She had been pecked pretty severely and was struggling to breathe. I brought her in and tried to determine what I could do for her, but she was a mess. She passed very shortly after I brought her in. I don't know if she became fatally injured due to pecking or if she fell ill in some way and that is what brought on the pecking. I had only been out there maybe two or three hours max earlier and all were perfectly fine. I am with my girls all the time. Most of the time I am only out there with them five or ten minutes but that is 4 to 6 times a day lately and I almost every day spend a half hour or so just sitting with them. I am so shocked that this happened. I am new but I think if she was ill I would have known. The only real thing is she had been the queen bee when the roo was here but she lowered in status slowly and really was at the bottom of the pecking order at this point. She was the first to mature and I think since she was his girl, Minky had special status that she lost when he left. I attributed her shift in the flock and in her temperament to the roo being rehomed, but looking back I feel like that could have been a sign she was not feeling well.
Then, if that was not bad enough, I had another shock this morning. On my first trip out today, everyone was riled up on my way over, more than normal. I found one of the red stars with her comb in very bad shape due to pecking. One reason I go out often is to look at the girls' combs to make sure no one is having any signs of frostbite with the severe cold we have been having in my area. I know everyone's was totally normal last thing yesterday. No one has any frost bite this morning. Dis she maybe catch her comb with her toe nail accidentally and they all went for the red? Are my chickens going crazy and attacking each other? Then I went to the nest box, blood everywhere. Had to wake up my poor husband who got in at 3AM last night and had to go back in at one PM today. We put the RS in the hospital brooder and went out and did a complete once over on all the girls. I am thinking the blood in the nest area was from the RS when she was laying. No one else has any injuries or obvious issues. Gave the combs a good coat of vaseline since we had a hold of them. Cannot think of anything else I can do for them. I am keeping the RS in for a few nights to give that comb a chance to heal and give her a rest. Other than the comb she has no other injuries and is eating and drinking and pooing normal so she should be fine to go back when I am ready to let her.
I was planning on setting eggs for the 26th to do the VD HAL. Right now I am feeling less than enthusiastic. This chicken keeping is not for the faint of heart. I love all my girls, but I really loved Minky. She was great. I am glad I found her and was able to bring her in and talk to her and thank her and she passed like that instead of some other situation. She even laid an egg yesterday morning. I go out there and there are three less than there was a week before TG, it is disheartening.
I will have to take a few days and see how I feel about setting eggs after that. I lost two of my three chicks within 48 hours the first time I ordered in June, (They sat in a PO overnight twice and it was super hot out during their transit, they were very weak from the first second I opened the box.) I had a pretty hard time at first, but once the survivor had some sibs and they made it through a week, and then two, and so on, I really felt it was all worth it. I am sure I will come around again. Just gonna take a bit.
Sorry to heal about the WS being a little dominant, I was really keen on that breed. Definitely not looking for any type of personality clashes at this stage though. Likely will be EE's since they are so calm and have the peas. And maybe some Australorp's. We shall see. Thanks again for all of your anecdotes regarding your breeds. Lovely to hear from others about their experiences.
It's always hard to lose a favorite. If you do decide to hatch eggs, let me know. If my EEs are laying I would be happy to give you some eggs.
