Really depressed

[HEChicken]

I've kept chickens on and off for most of my life. My most recent foray started 3 years ago and has grown from "4-5" to provide my family with eggs, to buying a 10-acre property so we can keep roosters and a variety of other poultry. Three weeks after moving in, we were visited by our first predator, who wiped out 1/4 of my flock in a short space of time. That happened two days ago. Yesterday he returned and added a few more birds to his casualty list. Last night I stopped him. Permanently.

I know the devastation you are feeling. At our old place, my favorite hen was attacked and killed by our next door neighbor's dogs. For a few days afterward, I felt emotionally detached. I went through the motions of feeding and caring for them but without the favorite, it felt like just that: going through the motions. This week's events were far more devastating. 3 of my best layers, 6 3-month-olds, my two silkie roos, 2 ducks and a chick hatched by a broody hen. Another hen is wounded and I don't expect her to make it.

The only advice I can give you is to hang in there. Keeping poultry is going to have its devastating moments. Between predators and illness, losses happen and it can be anything from sad to devastating when it does. What I have found however is that they provide much more than eggs. I keep a lawn chair by my chicken coop and all I have to do is go and sit in it and I am surrounded by birds, some of whom hop up to sit on my lap, and others just surround me and "talk" to me. They are unfailingly happy to see me, and once they have greeted me, they wander away, stopping to scratch in the dirt, nibble on greenery or catch a bug. I feel at peace when I am there. The peace and joy I get from them is worth it to me to keep on keeping on. I hope you find the same.

 

[HEChicken]

Oh - forgot to say: if you post a pic of the brahma, perhaps we can give you an idea of gender?

 

[TwistOfFate]

Hello,
I just wanted to say I'm in the same boat you are, as a newbie I mean. I did my research, got all the supplies, got coops ready and finally the babies. I got six beautiful babies and in less than a day I had lost my favorite one, a bantam cochin. I felt awful, like I'd failed, but now I realize I did everything I could. I have other animals and have gone thru losses with them, and no matter what animal it is or how many times I go thru it, it never gets any easier. The biggest consolation I have is knowing that they got the best I could give them at the time in terms of care, love and attention.

I hope you don't give up on chickens. Your children will benefit from them and so will you. My seven year old knows all about sheep, alpacas, angora rabbits, and is now learning about chickens, both the good things about them and the sad things that come with owning (or being owned) by animals.

HUGSSSSSSSSSSSSS

 

[Iridian]

I gotta say, wow, you all really lifted my heart. So much support here and I'm so glad to find this forum. I wish I had the energy to respond to everyone individually, but today I'm wiped out. I just wanted to say quick thanks before it got too late. I will update things when they change in case anyone is interested in the outcome. I can't tell you how many threads I've read through about illnesses, only to find no closure on the outcome, which is frustrating.

I will also try and get couple decent pics of the Bossy Brahma, aka "sunny" in the next day or so and see if there is any insight as to pullet or roo.

with love,
Iri

 

[hugapug]

I am new to chickens, just 3 months, but I wanted to offer my support as well. It's really hard to believe how much your heart grows once you have these creatures in your life. I have always wanted chickens but living in the big city (I live in a suburb of Los Angeles), I didn't think it was possible. Now 1 silkie and 1 BR later, my life is unrecognizable LOL I hope that your Brahma is a girl. Your attachment starts on Day 1. You sound like you're well prepared for having chickens so don't give up! And I laughed out loud when you referred to Sunny as a turd. Chickens do have individual personalities.

A giant chicken hug to you!

 

[FirewifeJess]

One thing that really helped my VERY sick pullet (whom I slept in the guest room with!) was scrambled eggs and probiotics. I would say those 2 things helped her the most. She was refusing feed from being so stressed (she was new to our flock and literally starved herself from fear of her new surroundings) and absolutely devoured the scrambled eggs. Try it with Willow! Also, water with vitamins and electrolytes is pretty awesome, but make sure some water every day is simply plain as well.

I'm also pretty new to chickens. We have a dozen 11-14 week old birds; 11 pullets and a sweet little roo who just learned to crow today! It's been a very crazy battle to keep them all alive and healthy, but so far we haven't lost anyone. I like to think I'm tough and will do what's right if a bird is suffering but mostly it will break my heart Good luck with her!

 

[sumi]

I gotta say, wow, you all really lifted my heart. So much support here and I'm so glad to find this forum. I wish I had the energy to respond to everyone individually, but today I'm wiped out. I just wanted to say quick thanks before it got too late. I will update things when they change in case anyone is interested in the outcome. I can't tell you how many threads I've read through about illnesses, only to find no closure on the outcome, which is frustrating.

I will also try and get couple decent pics of the Bossy Brahma, aka "sunny" in the next day or so and see if there is any insight as to pullet or roo.

with love,
Iri

Let us know how it goes. Hope she gets better

 

[LuvMyRooz]

After reading your story I thought i was reading my own lol. We had gotten 4 baby chicks back in March before Easter for our daughters and grandaughters. Everynight they went into their box in the basement. My husband worked for days on their coop and we got a kennel for them. Everything was perfect...except for a hawk that tried to grab them out of the kennel before we got the top on, but they were too heavy. As time went on we were laughing about how in 30 years we had never spent more time in the yard. Two of the chickens also leghorns, also turned out to be roosters(Nugget and Lucy which is now Louie. Our black chicken which is a Plymonth rock is a hen, her name is Chester. And the we have a Buff Orphington( Peeta)who just started crowing today. Last week we found a home for both Leghorns,,,,The hardest day, and the most relieving day of our life. Once they started crowing that was it, first the one, then the other. Like you we can have hens but no roosters. They were soo tame, lap trained and hand fed, but It was to the point that we bring them in everynight and into the box into the basement...Yikes! four-4month old chickens in their box, and they stayed in that box. Now we take the hen and the other rooster down, they are missing their friends and the Buff has gotten mean, and we got 2 more hens that are younger and they dont get along....We haven't given up yet lol. We also got 2 bantam hens a couple weeks ago and they are tuff girls. the one went into the kennel and put the 4 month old hen and rooster in their place, Peeta has to go, and Chester is going to be walking around the yard crying and lost. Thinking maybe of finding another 4month old hen this weekend to make friends with her before Peeta goes. Or do we send Chester with the roosters? Peeta isnt as loud, but we use to have to spray the others with water to get them to be quiet, Good luck to you

 

[silkienewbiegurl]

Hi Iridian, please don't give up! I wish all chicken-owners were as conscientious as you. Despite the challenges you've been facing, you are teaching your kids so much more than raising chickens, like how to care lovingly for another living thing, that life is fragile sometimes, that sometimes we have to make the difficult choice to end a life for the benefit of the animal and not our own wants, and that if they are faced with a hurdle that they can educate themselves to solve the situation. I have had similar experiences (my favorite hen, Lily, was killed by a dog that gnawed its way into the chainlink fence (!) and had to give away Camellia and Buttercup when both turned out to be roosters) so know you're not alone. I hope you'll stick with it and get the chance to enjoy a flock of peeps that make you breakfast, `cause it's definitely worth it! Best of luck to you.

Aloha,
Joan

 

[Iridian]

Willow Update:

You have all been so wonderful, every single story and comment has helped me so much

I saw Willow balancing briefly on the back part of her legs today (hocks?), and I could see that she does indeed have mobility in both legs which I took as a good sign. She had not pooped much today so I gave her a bit of molases in warm water which helped a lot and very quickly I might add.

I felt really sorry for her being cooped up in the boring bathroom, so I decided I would take her outside and let her get some sun and fresh air. Vitamin D can't hurt right? So I let her lay on a towel in the sun and sat right next to her. She was sooo happy! Did a little "trill" for me and started preening herself and rolling from side to side a bit. Within just a couple more minutes she hobbled to her hocks, then on to her feet! She walked over to the grass and nibbled and pooped a great deal. Then she walked about 5 feet away from me to lay down and sun. Then something spooked her and she walked back to me and sort of collapsed in my lap. I think she wore herself out so I brought her back inside for electrolytes and rest. This is a good sign to me and I'm hopeful now that she may actually fully recover. I will continue with what I'm doing vitamin wise and a little physical therapy each day on the lawn. If it's an injury I want to be careful not to make it worse, but it was really amazing how just being outside seemed to energize her.

P.S. took some pictures of Sunny and will post them tomorrow in the correct section "breeds" "what breed or gender" let ya know when I do that.

One more thing, all the chicks are still on starter feed, can they stay on this till they are ready for "layer" feed or should they be switched to "grower?"

-Iri