Tough Decisions (with a cute pic!)

[SheeReno]

Hey all, as posted before me and my roomate have two chicks, both at about 3- 3 1/2 weeks old right now. One of them is a SUPER sweetheart, which makes the other's problems so much more heartbreaking. I had been trying everything to get the one chick to settle down some and accept us. Not happening. Of course, I made it worse and I Can't sleep right now. I feel terrible.

I accidentally walked into the brooder - pretty hard. The waterer toppled - guess who on??? In the process of trying to dry out this TERRIFIED chick there was an accidental choking and an accidental foot grab. THey both came from me trying to stop the chick from jumping away into the dark cold abyss that is our porch. Now ( I have taken into account the absurd time) she won't even eat out of my hand, which she did before. I don't even know if it's really a she!!!!!!

I FEEL SO SO SO SO SO BAD!!!!! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!!!!!

Thing is I think I might have set things too far back to recover, and I've had my first thoughts on getting rid of the chick. Is this just the easy way out? MPC has chicks we want available the 10th, dunno if they could get here if I place the order at a decent hour, if not then they would arrive the 17th. This also makes me worry about the sweetheart....my head hurts right now but not as much as my heart...

We think the chick in question is a Buff Orpington, but we're not sure. We got these chicks from a local crummy pet store who couldn't even give us an age better than 7-10 days! I feel terrible but don't know what direction to head in next....here's a pic I took tonight of the chick in question...she will NOT leave that corner unless forced.........

 

[tiffanyh]

Looks like you may have a roo there....

You know, some chickens are more personable than others. So some may never warm up. Personally, my chickens are eye candy.

So I dont make them suffer through my love often, unless they are sick or injured.

So, I would just keep associating yourself with good things for the little guy and go from there.

Oh, I dont really now if he is a buff or not. He looks a bit light, but that just may be the lighting in the picture.

 

[jjthink]

Given that it's clear you have a good and caring heart

, my guess is that rather than getting 'rid' of him/her because of this rough patch, you will feel the best about this if you give this chicklet all the time he/she needs to gain trust again. It rarely happens on our time table. Take it slow - he/she will over time watch how the other one responds and things will get better! The two may never be quite the same as each other, but that's the beauty of each being unique.

In this funny world, usually the things that are hardest are in the end the most worth doing. If you can get in the mindset that they will be who they will be, and our role is just to make their lives as pleasant and safe and worry free for them as possible, it becomes easy. This little munchkin only knows that it got really scared and it's not sure what the world will dole out next - it feels all alone and defenseless (and it sure is!) - that has got to be an awful. scary, and very lonely feeling.

I've done a lot of rescues - cats, dogs, birds, and am always distressed- and I think you will be too since I can tell you care - at the people who visit with one of my rescue cats, for example, and get discouraged when the cat does not respond to them right away. They are looking for what the cat can give them. I do not choose them as adoptive 'parents". I look for the folks who understand deep down that they have to earn that trust, and who are all about what they can do for the cat, rather than what the cat can do for them.

I had a particularly difficult-crazy wild-distrusting-furiously angry (= terrified) feral cat once, who needed a very special living arrangement (including very special people). After getting him med care/neutering etc. I made countless unsuccessful efforts to find him the right home. One day I finally got a message on my machine from a guy who said "I think I have a situation that could make this kitty happy........". Long story short, Steve was the right guy for this kitty! He gave the cat his own barn and made sure he had food and water every day (we had to keep him caged for awhile first so he imprinted and didn't run off - crucial - he hissed and growled to beat the band the whole time). Steve was cool about letting it take as long as it was going to take. For the first time, I was truly uncertain if a cat would ever come around - in utter frustartion it had eaten the woodwork in a room I was fostering him in - my house has never recovered! This one was a wild child - and ticked off to the nth degree! (it had come from a very rough life on the streets of Trenton). Well, Steve was just very cool around this cat, patient and calm - he placed no deadline on the cat. Some months later Steve reported the most heartening news! Harry, as he had come to be named, ultimatly decided Steve was friend, let down his guard, his anger and his fear and now would curl up in Steve's arms - they are best buddies. It makes me so very happy every time I think about it.

All the best with the little one.
JJ

 

[cmom]

I agree with the posts. It appears you have a good heart. Don't beat yourself up. Things happen. Give it some treats and just keep doing it. Maybe try mixing some of it crumbles with some yogurt. Mine LOVE bread. Maybe take it out and give it some one on one so the other chicks won't compete for the treats. (Don't substitute treats for feed.) The chick will eventually come around. See my signature line and it’s true... The best way to a chicken's heart is through its stomach.

 

[write2caroline]

I think you should remember that chickens don't have that great of a memory. Talk to it softly and often, don't grab at it and offer treats like yogurt when you are talking softly.

It might help.

Cal
Jax FL

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Uh huh, your mom gave you money for ballet lessons and you spent it on candy. See what happens?

 

[barngem]

Think of it this way. Every animal needs a mom, and it seems that our poor chickens often are raised without a little fluffy hen mom to run to and hide under, especially since we get most of them nowdays from a bruder or a hatchery, so we get to be that mom or dad, and maybe it just needs a little extra care so that it realizes your the one taking on that roll even if you dont have fluffy hen feathers, you have a kind voice and a gentle touch, all animals respond to that.

If you were little and you were in a "crummy pet store home" and handled by all kinds of people and some crazy things happened to you just when you were getting comfortable at a new quiet home and you did not have a fluffy hen mom to hide under you would hide in the corner too.
Just take your time keep makeing the attempt and things will come around. It will forget the bad stuff soon enough.


Someone mentioned that its just doing what it knows to do. Just keep at it and wait till the little bugger gets bigger then if its full grown and still is anti social maybe you just have to love it from affar.

 

[sotelomary]

Keep the chick and keep giving it good care and lots of love. My 5 pullets are not friendly at all even though I socialized them alot when they were chicks. I still love and enjoy them! Don't be hard on yourself. You are doing a great job with your chicks.

 

[SheeReno]

Thanks to all for the help (Joe you could of easily just said nothing...)
The chick is starting to come around a bit more, eating feed out of hand etc. I think I was just exhausted last night! Just going to take time and take it from there...

EDIT: Y'all are great, btw! Does anyone have any ideas on this guy's breed or gender? Too soon to tell by comb, etc.?