tribute to chick, and its mom

[lampshadeee69]

Yet another chicken, gone. This time the culprit seems to be rats, because i found the poor thing's mangled body today in the corner. her insides were eaten but her wings, feet, and head were held on solely by tendons. Unless the eggs the broody hen is sitting on now hatch, this will be the end of my orloff's bloodline except for one rooster chick i sold when he was a few weeks old. This chick was so cute too, because it took refuge under my Black Breasted OEG rooster when it came out of the brooder. The even cuter thing is that the rooster let it. RIP baby!

he's the little guy in the foreground (or maybe the one in the background looking up?)

the only picture of his mom that i have (Not the polish, the blob of feathers down in the corner. i should have taken more pictures.)

they were so cute.

best friends.


I'm praying for those last eggs that are incubating now to come through!

 

[sumi]

Oh that's sad
I just hate losing chicks! What's going on by you? You said another one's gone?
I don't take chances with my chicks anymore. I've lost too many. I have this nice big tin bath that I keep them in, with soil in the bottom for scratching and playing with. During the day they go outside, in the bath, with a wire mesh over and at night they stay in our house under a heat lamp. When they are bigger they will move to the "play pen" I built, at vast expense, next to the chicken run. Since I've done this things went well. Touch wood.
Hope your eggs hatch!

 

[lampshadeee69]

ive lost about 25 others, some like her, some completely different, to various predators/diseases/whatnot.

 

[sumi]

Oh, hell!

I really hope your eggs hatch and all goes well with the next lot.

 

[lampshadeee69]

Thanks! A few of my hens have been super broody lately, so everything should go as planned.

 

[Magic Birdie]

It would be too sad if they didn't!

 

[lampshadeee69]

Today i found the culprit. I no longer suspect rats. I checked the trap, and sure as day, there was an oppossum sitting in there. I used chicken as the bait and it was eaten in a similar manner as the poor chick. Her sweet, short life has been avenged.

 

[sumi]

I set a trap too. DH caught the rubbish while I was at work. He said at first he didn't want to kill it, but then he remembered how upset I was when we lost our chicks and... I came home from work and found the beast hanging off the washing line, still with the trap attached. Strangely I felt a bit bad, but relieved too. My chicks were once again safe.
We don't like killing things, but 9 chicks was a bit too much.

You said your hens were getting broody, what's happening there?

 

[Magic Birdie]

well, did they hatch yet???

 

[Lovemyfarm]

I sure do appreciate the time people take to share their experiences. I am new at this and all this information is so interesting. I am sure it will help me with my flock. Thanks!