What could be wrong with my chicken?

[DuckieLover2014]

Such cute photos! Thank You for sharing.

 

[krista74]

Yaay for Peepers.
Getting so big so quick. Was he still excited to see you today?
Im so happy for him.

Is he still crying as if he is lonely? Or doing better day by day hopefully.
I wonder what runs through Peepers mind. Does he realize his Momma is gone? Im sure he realizes he is alone but did he act diffrent when you let him snuggle his Momma after having her put to sleep?

I know i sure having been missing my Sweet Pumpkin soo much

Hi!

Yes, he still gets really excited to see me in the morning! He peeps uncontrollably and comes running to the fence when he spots me. I think during the day he copes ok, as he has his little friends to play with. At night I think he gets lonesome though, because they all disappear to sleep with their Momma, and he has to go back to his box on his own. It's been quite cold here lately too - down between 0 to 5 degrees celcius (32-40F) so it must be hard for him. Still, he has lots of hay in his nest, and the whole box is covered to insulate him from the cold a bit too.

He peeps really loudly every time I leave the coop, but I wait outside until he stops and he usually settles in a couple of minutes. The only time he cries is at night now, when I lock the coop up and say goodnight. It is a heart-breaking sound, much different from just the regular peeping that chicks do. On occasion, when I pick him up for cuddles and he is sitting on my lap, he will cry too, but I just talk quietly to him and he settles down quite quickly.

I don't know if he remembers his Momma or not - I kind of feel that he has replaced her with me. If I am anywhere in the coop, he is pressed up against his cage to be close to me. When I step inside his pen, he sits on my shoes as I'm trying to clean things! I can call him now too, and he comes running. He is getting quite attached, and I know that a week or so before he leaves (whenever that may be) I will have to start distancing myself a bit, because he won't get that attention at his new home.

After Momma was put to sleep, I let Peepers snuggle with her for a few minutes before the vet took her away. Peepers was very quiet after that. He had peeped all the way to the vet's, but did not make a sound on the way home, and it was a 1 hour drive. I am sure he knew she was gone. They say chickens have a short memory though, so I am hoping he is adjusting to his new (if not temporary) life. Oh how I wish I could keep him - I am just as attached to him as he is to me. Alas, it is not possible.

You must be missing Pumpkin a lot. I think of Peeper's Momma and feel sad too, but I have had Peepers to divert me from my grief in losing her. Honestly, I don't know which is worse. At the end of the day I think all pain is the same. Only time will heal those wounds for both of us.

Krista

 

[HugHess]

I think of Peeper's Momma and feel sad too, but I have had Peepers to divert me from my grief in losing her. Honestly, I don't know which is worse. At the end of the day I think all pain is the same. Only time will heal those wounds for both of us.

Krista

Hi Krista,

It seems like you have lived through your own book of War and Peace! My deepest condolences on the loss of your family member.
I just wanted to say that I wholeheartedly agree with you regarding the pain. I also agree about time needed to heal and will add my own two cents from my own experience...
The more bitter the pain feels now... always seems to translate to: all the sweeter your memories will be later...you remain in our thoughts.
Take care,

Meg

 

[Outpost JWB]

Hey Krista,

Losing a chicken is hard for everyone. This past spring we had a terrible raccoon problem. They repeatedly broke into the coop and slaughtered chicken after chicken. They hit our coop 3 times and we lost over 10 of our good hens. One of the hens we lost was a golden crested polish. We called her Tina Turner. She was a spunky girl who loved people and she had crazy head feathers. Because she was different from the rest of the flock, she received a lot of extra attention. Especially when we had visitors. One time Tina ran away & we thought for sure something had got her. Coyote, fox, mink, feral cat, something. She was gone for a week when the next door neighbor said he had been on a walk & he thought he seen her about a 1/2 mile away in a tree. So, we headed off down the road with a cup of food, and sure enough, she came running & fussing! Took her back home & she was happy.
The 1st time the raccoon hit our coop, we put 2 have a heart traps and 2 weasel snap traps back by the coop. The day I went back there & seen her feathers scattered all over the inside and a trail outside the coop, I felt sick. My 8 yr old thought it was a golden comets feathers. Then when she couldn't find Tina, she started crying.
Tina had laid an egg the day before & one the previous day. Just by chance I had a barred rock who kept going broody. We put the 2 eggs under her. One hatched! We now have a crazy looking little rooster who has puffs on his cheeks & a Mohawk on his head. We call him Mr. T. Most roosters here are sent to the freezer unless they are used for breeding. Mr. T has a place on our farm as long as he lives. Take care.