[The Shire] Our growing flock!

[newchickychick]

Poor Peanut didn’t make it. </3 I’m exceedingly grateful 46/47 Bantams are wildly active and healthy, especially after how many were in rough shape yesterday, but ugh. I sat with little Peanut for hours and hours trying to bring it back, but it just so quickly deteriorated. :[ I got to hold it and talk to it through the end but I wonder if there’s something I could’ve done better. I know shipping is super hard on chicks, especially Bantams, but bah. Peanut was a Porcelain D’uccle.

I do think it’s time we start naming everyone. I’m tired of calling them “the smaller rhode island red” or “one of the yokohamas.” Even if they end up not being permanent flock members, definitely giving them names so they at least can have their little chicken identification among us.

So far we’ve only named a few. My son picked Einstein for our Blue Polish and I gave him the homework of researching brilliant female scientists if it ends up a female instead for a different name. Brutus is the redeemed bully Gold Lace Polish. Toblerone is our Tolbunt Polish (named in honor of my favorite chocolate bars of all time). Gadget is one of the Americanas as she sticks her neck out suuuper far when she’s curious about something (‘go go gadget neck’). Gizmo is one of the other Americanas who’s usually around Gadget that looks similar but is missing her comically “angry eyebrows” marking.
That leaves us with a bunch more names to make happen. I’ll be trying to take glamour shots along with selecting names tomorrow.

Sad note to end the night off with, but going to try harder next time to be able to bring a bad off baby back from the brink. Will start tomorrow off right with some really nice pics, and hopefully some cute names to boot.

 

[newchickychick]

There’s another chick who’s slightly smaller than all the rest like Peanut was who’s making me nervous. I got it to eat a good bit of egg yolk yesterday from a syringe and gave it vitamins and water. Going to try that again today.
Had a silkie (the patridge one!) make me really nervous yesterday too. Gave it the same treatment and another drop of vitamins this morning, and it’s gone from scary lethargic to running around and eating and drinking with the others! I’m so relieved. I will be so upset with myself if we lose two of them from the three Bantam batches we got. </3 So very thankful it’s not looking like three any more.

I’m noticing a running theme with chicks who end up accidentally hopping down into the feeders: Americanas. We’ve had the Lakenvelder get in there once, but it absolutely did NOT like being rescued by the sky hand and proceeded to run around in a panic and warn its brethren once it was delicately placed back into the brooder that they were all in danger.
The Americanas I’ve had to rescue (Gadget, Gizmo, and now ???) though are all super grateful and Gizmo and this other baby now ended up being sweet towards me once they were free. I think Americanas/EEs might be an easy favorite for me as most so far seem to be easiest to warm up. But I’m still in love with the skittish babies. They’re doing their best.