Silkie death.. Was it my fault or hers?

Moochie

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9 Years
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I used to have a silkie named Nana. She was peculiar...
Nana went broody for a few weeks but didn't have any eggs, she layed maybe 5 when we had her, she gave some of my flock bugs
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, she had really bad scaly leg mites (which we took care of), I had no clue how old she was, she had a beak growing twisted at the ends (not quite cross beaked), she would always peck my fingers when I tried to pick her up, she walked kinda funny, when we let her free range with the largefowl she jump-flied around like crazy, and my mom called her "the koo koo chicken".
I always thought she was an older silkie but I don't know how to age birds, other than obvious comb/wattle growth and feathers.
One night my mom found her dead in the largefowls' water bowl... At first I thought "stupid chicken, there's a little bowl for her and Skippy."
Skippy would always use that littler one and Nana would occasionaly, although I didn't see her drink much. I hate using waterers because the shavings and poop get in it ALL the time so I would have to clean it out and change it ALL the time. I figured bowls were easier.
To this day the chickens like bowls.
Anyways, I didn't cry (I wasn't that attached to her) but I do feel sorry for Skippy. Her and Skippy were the only bantams I had. Now it's just Skippy.
I try to get my mom to get another silkie gal for Skippy but my mom doesn't want anymore chickens.
What's your opinion? I'm really starting to feel like a bad person
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I don't know what you could have done. Chances are whatever happened to her simply happened while she was at the water bowl. Sorry for your loss.
 
If the bowl was large enough for her to get in and not get back out of, yes it was your fault.
 
Depending on how cold it is where you are, she may have fallen in and caught a chill. Silkies' feathers aren't as water-repellent as some.

These things happen, we live and learn...don't beat yourself up over it.

Even though you weren't too attached to her, you have my condolences and sympathy.
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May the rest of your chickens stay healthy and happy.
 
The water bowl for the large fowl is about 5 inches high. The bantam roo preferred that one aswell so I gave him a wee roost like thing to help him drink.
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I want another silkie so bad.
 
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I don't really agree here. These things happen. As far as feeling like a bad person, I wouldn't at all. Like it was said in another post, you live and learn. When it rains our backyard has a low area that can fill up to about one foot. My kids love to splash in it so we never filled it in, it drains rather quickly from there so it never gets nasty, when my chickens free range they like to drink out of it, if one falls in and drowns is it my fault because I never filled in that part? Technically yes, on one hand, but on another no. It's a chance I'll take. It sounds like you gave her a good home until her death, I would focus on that, then determin if you have to change your system and move on. I am a mushy person about my animals but in this situation I would not feel too bad.
 

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