Putting my chicken babies up for adoption

[RockyToggRanch]

I guess part of managing a flock is choosing who stays and who goes. Today was tough for me. My first incubator hatch (hatch 9-18-08) resulted in 1 ameraucana from 12 shipped eggs, 2 sumatras and 4 mixed from my girls. Today I gave up all of them but the ameracauna (why can I never remember how to spell that?) to my cousin who has never had chickens. The thing is, this little group never got used to the big kids and always hung out away from the crowd. So my 1 lonely ameraucana girl was hiding in a corner all alone. I held her and cuddled for a good 20 minutes under a heat lamp by the roosts. She was shaking so badly. It wasn't like it was traumatic catching the others. They were used to being picked up. I think she realized she's alone with the big kids now. (she's bigger than most of them).

I'm so worried about the rest of them, too. My cousin doesn't have the best track record with animals. I hope chickens will be the exception for her. It seems like the right thing to do, but it's so darned hard to let them go.

I helped my Dad process birds once when I was in grade school. That didn't bother me...in fact I thought it was pretty cool.

But sending them to live somewhere else does bother me. I must be messed up.

 

[AHappychick]

I am sorry you are sad, maybe it would be best to get one chick back so that your americanas wont be lonely

 

[sara]

It's hard to get rid of them.

And you spelled Ameraucana correctly

 

[RockyToggRanch]

I really hope that the ameraucana finds a friend in the group. I had a talk with one of the australorp girls and she seemed to get what I was saying..she "cooed" and fell asleep. I'll just keep putting her back in there with the big girls until she gets it.

There is a 2 wk old ameraucana in the brooder (again just one, what's up with that?) that will join her in 6 weeks. Until then, I'll give her extra cuddle time.

How did this happen to me???? I used to be somewhat close to normal.

 

[birdlover]

awww...couldn't you get back just one eensy weensy chicken to be her friend (and probably save it's life if your cousin is the way you indicate).

 

[birdlover]

And, by the way, "normal" is just a setting on the hair dryer!

 

[SussexInSeattle]

I agree with happy chick, ask your cousin for the one chick back that you observed the ameracauna hanging out with most often. The older flock could be very mean to her even if she is bigger. My oldest chicken is my smallet but she has no problem pecking anyone of the 'youngsters' at any time she feels they need it!

 

[digginchicks]

Why did you decide to keep the 1 Ameracauna and not the others? That is what I am worried about when I start hatching. I think that if I get rid of some of them I will have to get rid of all of them just so they dont end up being like your poor ameracauna.

Is there any way that you can separate her from the others? I had to separate a few of my columbian wyandottes when I first got my chicks and they ended up being bigger and better lookking than the rest.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Well I have never witnessed the big kids being rude to her. The small group was just never in synch with the big kids group. I can absolutely seperate her if I need to. I'll even take her to work with me..

if I must. But I hope the big girls will accept her now that the others are gone..... ?

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Oh sorry, I wanted to keep her because I wanted some blue eggs. I bought 12 eggs and she (she, I hope) is the only one that hatched. She's expensive. The others were from my own eggs and only to test hatchability.