Only One Survived... Until This Morning

[Cryss]

I really considered becoming an English teacher in my youth! I was that student that finished every assigned book in three days only to be chastised by the teacher for reading ahead

I fell in love with reading during Island of the Blue Dolphins and had my heart broken for the first time with To Kill a Mockingbird

Me too! My guidance councilor discouraged me from being an English teacher, dime a dozen.
In school, probably about 4th grade, we had reading books with hundreds of short stories. Once a week we'd be assigned a story the teacher wanted us to read., then we'd discuss it in class then be tested. At the end of the year our final assignment before turning in our books was to write down the title of each story we read but was not assigned. Oh the shocked look on student faces! Teacher walked between the rows glancing at the lists being made. When she got to my desk she kindly whispered " You don't have to write all the titles from the table of contents, only the ones you read." I whispered back "But I read them all." It was her turn to have a shocked look before she moved on.

 

[Henriettamom919]

Thanks. Even though I spent almost a year following groups, reading and trying to learn as much as I could before I got them - the learning curve was steep for me. Hindsight is 20/20 indeed. I've learned more in the past 8 weeks between hands on and here than I did beforehand. We started with 6, lost 2 the first week to overheated brooder, got 6 more, lost one of those while still trying to get the brooder temp under control, then abandoned that (plastic tote) brooder for a dog crate setup. Still lost two more to unknown lethargy / Failure to thrive (I question coccidosis - but the rest were all fine so not sure). And one to some kind of respiratory issues. It was a very stressful time - and I felt like a shitty chicken parent daily. Thankfully things got better, 1 that had respiratory issues was able to be nursed with VetRx and washing out her eyes with saline initially but then ultimately needed antibiotics, is fully recovered and doing well now. I've learned some quick chicken veterinary skills and have a fully loaded chicken first aid kit. I'm definitely relieved to be past those first few weeks when they just all seem so fragile. Now the personalities are coming out and we're having some fun.

Hang in there. I think some NutriDrench for them and some coffee for you is perfect for this Friday morning! When's the last day of school? We've still got a week to go here in NJ.

Oh jeez! A steep learning curve indeed! I don't think my hubby would have survived all that and allowed me to keep trying; he's so terrified for the four chicks we've had these past two months and its been relatively low key! You poor thing! I bet you're the best chicken mama in the world!

 

[Henriettamom919]

Me too! My guidance councilor discouraged me from being an English teacher, dime a dozen.
In school, probably about 4th grade, we had reading books with hundreds of short stories. Once a week we'd be assigned a story the teacher wanted us to read., then we'd discuss it in class then be tested. At the end of the year our final assignment before turning in our books was to write down the title of each story we read but was not assigned. Oh the shocked look on student faces! Teacher walked between the rows glancing at the lists being made. When she got to my desk she kindly whispered " You don't have to write all the titles from the table of contents, only the ones you read." I whispered back "But I read them all." It was her turn to have a shocked look before she moved on.

This was me, too, but with those summer reading challenges! I'd read the whole list; even books I didn't really love I *had* to finish! Then I'd check out personal interest books from the public library and come fall the teacher overseeing the challenge would call my mom thinking I'd exaggerated my list!

My son's second grade teacher thought he was lying when he told him he was almost done with the Harry Potter series until his state testing revealed an 11th grade reading level!

 

[tpatricco]

Oh jeez! A steep learning curve indeed! I don't think my hubby would have survived all that and allowed me to keep trying; he's so terrified for the four chicks we've had these past two months and its been relatively low key! You poor thing! I bet you're the best chicken mama in the world!

Aw. Thank you. I'm trying my best.

Jaquellen & Anthony

• tpatricco
• Jun 14, 2019

She knows where the treats come from...

Rosie and Me

• tpatricco
• Jun 14, 2019
• 1

 

[Aunt Angus]

I have not replied till now, but I did the same exact thing you did. You have added chicks together that are, were, possibly sisck. I lost both my babies this way due to not wanting one to be lonely. Never again will I make that sad mistake! Best of luck

I was worried about that, but they are doing great now! I have the Sebright Nutri Drench, and then they found the food. Now they are running around and making happy noises - at least that's what they were doing when I left for work.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Well, I just got off the phone with MPC again. Amy their customer service rep, said that sometimes when you ship large fowl chicks with Bantam chicks it doesn't go well. And apparently, I should have known that when I ordered. So it's my faul that the chicks died. She didn't say those words exactly but you did say that I should have known that Bantam chicks were too fragile to be shipped with large fowl chicks. So I'm like, why do you ship them together then? I'm so angry. And she said that to my ZIP code the fewest number of Bantam I could order is 9. So she told me that I'm out of luck those were her words. She said I was out of luck.

 

[Aunt Angus]

So I guess it kind of is my fault. She said that it's common sense not to ship bantams with large fowl. Ironically, I thought about that when I was ordering. But they assured me on the phone that everything would be fine. Should have trusted my gut. I am sad and angry and feeling guilty. I just know that I will never order from MPC or any out-of-state Hatchery ever ever ever ever again.

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

I was worried about that, but they are doing great now! I have the Sebright Nutri Drench, and then they found the food. Now they are running around and making happy noises - at least that's what they were doing when I left for work.

That is awesome. Things happen and I have learned I can not control everything. Just don't feel down about yourself doing anything wrong, live and learn.

 

[Cryss]

They assured you everything would be fine when you ordered? Sounds like they are to blame then!
Stay local. Pick them up at the farm and have them home safely that day.

 

[Aunt Angus]

They assured you everything would be fine when you ordered? Sounds like they are to blame then!
Stay local. Pick them up at the farm and have them home safely that day.

I will from now on! My hubby was really upset about Thistle's death, so he bought another Silkie from the feed store to cheer me up. I feel much better now. I didn't want just one Silkie because they are so different from the others. I wanted a gang. I have 5 large fowl and 3 bantams. Better ratio, and I am prepared to house them separately if need be.

So I now have a black Silkie (Violet), a silver Sebright (Picotee), and a white Silkie (Dandelion). Hopefully they all do well. So far, they are all active and seem strong.

Thanks for all the kind words and advice. I'm still new at this and learning. I just wish learning didn't cost any chick lives.