Hello all! Glad to have found my fellow chicken pals on this incredibly informative chicky site! A short intro on me: My first decade if life were spent with animals! Horses, dogs, cats, sheep, ground squirrels etc.. You name it, I had it, saved it or my parents bought it.. Divorce happened sold or gave away all but my dog and moved to Cali.. For the next 32 years, I was domesticated, had a few finch, some fish, dogs and a cat. Married, Had two beauty babies, and lived the suburbia life.. Then I got a call, a friend knew of a horse that was in need of rescue. NO! I can't go see it.. I don't have time.. Horses need a lot. I already told my kid, no horses, they need a lot of love.. No time!! I couldn't control myself, went to see him and his overgrown hooves, and he wrapped his big head around my neck, and wanted love!!! No!!! No!!! Fast forward two years! I convinced (took me 6 months) my husband and kids to move to a more country setting on two acres so Brucie could live with us forever. Well that's not all! I really wanted chickens too, and a pig, and a goat!!! And... And... Well I have to controll myself or hubbs will not be happy, so well start with chicks! My OCD, has brought me to this page so many times in the past 4 weeks, I decided to join... I brought home 4 1 week old chicks, and 2 2 week olds, they sleep inside the house in a dog crate, at night, in an outdoor cage in the day with heat lamps.. I lost my biggest, fave chick last week when my daughter took her/him out of the cage while the dog was near, flapp of wings, she looses grip, dig opens mouth, perfect timing, and hurts the chick! Blood, kid screaming, dog barking, I'm running up the hill lightening speed, to find my fave ckn Truelala, running around bloody... Neck skin hanging off... What to do.. I pick her up, wrap her in a towel to assess inside.. Panicked I call the vet, yes, the vet.. My hubby mad at me, but I needed to see what could be done.. Well, I could spend 500$ in a risky surgery, so I spent 75$ and her put to sleep. Brought her home and gave her a proper burial with the kids.. Tears just ran down my face as I drove home from the vet. The little 10yr old girl that had to leave all her animals behind as a kid, just lost her first chick..I felt defeated... The next morning, I awoke to put the chicks in outdoor cage, and the one that use to keep very close to Truelala, was dead! What! Another one!! Broken hearted? Howd it die.. Everyone was doing so good. Now my cks are 5 and 6 weeks old, one is only fluff and tiny, the other 3 feathered, and this morn I just realized I have a rooster when he screamed out to the rooster calling across the street.. I'm currently building a coop so I can move them in next week! Im happy to have found you all! I'm going to have tons of questions, and thanks in advance for your helpful answers!!!!
Welcome to BYC! Sorry to hear about your chick, I've learned the hard way that dogs and chickens don't mix well
Greetings from Kansas, truelala, and ! Happy you joined us! Sorry about your trials and tribulations with chickens. Be patient - it will get better. Best wishes!
I too have had mishaps with chicks and my dog. It was sad and a learning experience for all. Keeping your flock safe is a constant job, but if your rooster turns out to be a good one, he will help. Mine is still young, about 6 months, and he alerts his girls when there is trouble. He also rounds them up and puts them in the coop when a hawk is overhead or it is getting dark outside. He has even attacked the neighbors little dog who was attacking one of my pullets. The dog ran away, tail between legs, mouth full of feathers.
Welcome to BYC. If you dare to care, eventually you will feel pain. It's the price that we pay for love of any sort.