Well, I'm down to 19 now
I went out this morning and everyone was happy. The little rooster-boy (they're only 18 days now, but he already has an enormous big red rack on his head) is still getting his comb pecked, so I wanted to put some blue stuff on, to hopefully make him less of a target.
I DID try to be slow and careful in trying to catch him, and really the chicks did not get that upset, but they did get a little fussed (they're in the 6x20 pen now, although they don't go too far from the brooder lamp). As I was tracking the rooster-boy I was after, I heard a great big flurry of wings and immediately a loud thud, behind me. I remember thinking 'gee, they really can *fly* now" but not thinking anything else of it, just figured one of them had clunked against the brooder hover or the side of the pen.
So I dealt with Mr Roo-Head, and looked around, and everyone seemed ok... but as I turned to close the door as I was leaving the pen, I heard a little flutter and saw one of the Sussex chicks on its back halfway down the long wall of the pen. To cut to the chase, it had evidently flown into the wall headfirst and was in its death throes. She (I think it was a she, anyhow) died in my hands
So she's buried under a hazelbush that I got the same day I picked up the chicks. I feel terrible. I don't know what I really could have done differently, I think it was just a freak accident, but it just really sucks
Worse, a similar thing happened to me two years ago, when I spooked a newly fledged robin (I didn't even know it was *there*!) and it flew across the lawn onto our deck, except it failed to clear the handrail of the railing and died of head injuries shortly thereafter.
Birds need a flight instructor on board til they've got more hours under their belts
Feeling awful,
Pat
I DID try to be slow and careful in trying to catch him, and really the chicks did not get that upset, but they did get a little fussed (they're in the 6x20 pen now, although they don't go too far from the brooder lamp). As I was tracking the rooster-boy I was after, I heard a great big flurry of wings and immediately a loud thud, behind me. I remember thinking 'gee, they really can *fly* now" but not thinking anything else of it, just figured one of them had clunked against the brooder hover or the side of the pen.
So I dealt with Mr Roo-Head, and looked around, and everyone seemed ok... but as I turned to close the door as I was leaving the pen, I heard a little flutter and saw one of the Sussex chicks on its back halfway down the long wall of the pen. To cut to the chase, it had evidently flown into the wall headfirst and was in its death throes. She (I think it was a she, anyhow) died in my hands
So she's buried under a hazelbush that I got the same day I picked up the chicks. I feel terrible. I don't know what I really could have done differently, I think it was just a freak accident, but it just really sucks
Worse, a similar thing happened to me two years ago, when I spooked a newly fledged robin (I didn't even know it was *there*!) and it flew across the lawn onto our deck, except it failed to clear the handrail of the railing and died of head injuries shortly thereafter.
Birds need a flight instructor on board til they've got more hours under their belts
Feeling awful,
Pat
