We had a casualty

[jenmckin]

I was changing out the paper towels for the night and made everyone move out of my way...only one of them didn't move.

I think it was smothered by the others and I have since moved the lamp over several inches to keep them from piling up in a corner.

It was one of my Barred Rocks so it could have been male or female since we got so many of them when ordering. I ordered 18 and got 22.

It wasn't one of the specialty breeds that I ordered but still sad. I hated to tell the kids but the main thing they were concerned about was "Was it mine?" But they still wanted to tell that one good bye and said "Poor little thing..."

Let's just hope we don't have a repeat.

 

[silkiechicken]

Might want to lower the lamp and make sure it's about 95 under the lamp. They shouldn't be piling if it's warm enough, even if the light is in the corner.

 

[CodyChristine]

Quote:
I'm sorry you lost a baby chick.

That is so sweet your kids wanted to say goodbye to it. We have calves this year and lost a few and so many of our family members were like "You're not going to tell Sam (our 4 year old), are you?" We didn't deliberately tell him, but he figured it out and he was ok with it. I think it's ok for kids to experience the life cycle and understand it.

 

[jenmckin]

I double checked the temp. It's holding steady at 95...but moving the light seemed to have worked...they are spreading out and laying down now instead of squishing themselves into a corner.

I think the death of the chick bothered my 6 (almost 7) year old the most. He came down after he was put in bed and asked me if I checked the chick to make sure that it was dead before I got rid of him. He said, "Did you check him to make SURE that he was dead, or did you just know?"

I told him that the other chicks wake up and move if you move them and he did not and wasn't breathing, so I knew.

But he had to make sure. And believe it or not, that one is usually my trouble maker

 

[CodyChristine]

Sometimes the little trouble makers are the most sensitive ones

 

[Cetawin]

Quote:
I so agree. That is the way it is with my 2 children.