Backyard Chickens?
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Brioddy
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Oh, Drumstick! Bless his sweet little heart. You can tell just by looking at him he was a gentle soul. I’m so sorry for your loss but you did everything you could, grieve as you will but you did the best thing by him and not allow him to suffer anymore. Now you can open up your heart to another critter that needs it.
One of my ducklings I raised had his leg snatched out of his body by a bobcat, he was in the pen but the wiring wasn’t small enough to prevent a nasty paw getting in. I thought it was, but my oversight ended in a painful death for him. I beat myself up about it but try not to, I watched him die in front of me. He’s buried now beside the creek he so loved.
But now that spring is about to roll through again, I am making plans to add three more ducklings to the flock. This time I will make sure they are sexed females as I currently only have one girl and two drakes, one is the third wheel which is poor Bo’s brother.
One of my ducklings I raised had his leg snatched out of his body by a bobcat, he was in the pen but the wiring wasn’t small enough to prevent a nasty paw getting in. I thought it was, but my oversight ended in a painful death for him. I beat myself up about it but try not to, I watched him die in front of me. He’s buried now beside the creek he so loved.
But now that spring is about to roll through again, I am making plans to add three more ducklings to the flock. This time I will make sure they are sexed females as I currently only have one girl and two drakes, one is the third wheel which is poor Bo’s brother.
Me.
Actually they are very smart creatures and just love to entertain you. Love my girls!So sorry to hear about Drummy.
blacknrust
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I'm so sorry for your loss.
Rits
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I placed his ashes in a vial and put some of his feathers inside and out... Then I painted a pewter figurine in his memory to sit next to it on my desk. He'll be with us forever.
Thank you everyone for the kind thoughts. He wasn't suffering by any means...he was healed a long time ago, he wasn't in pain. That boy was spoiled and given all my husband and I could give. He was interacted with more than any of our animals, almost as much as a child because of how much social creatures birds and chickens are. If he had a choice he would have been content being spoiled. But he wasnt thriving. My dream was to get him adapted enough to be in the sun again soon as spring came. The thought of putting him down had been creeping in my mind once he started having difficulties navigating his pen to his food and water. Friday was a beautiful day finally, perfect to let him be with his fellow friends and confirm his difficulties/impossibilities getting around inside and out of the coop. There was no way he would have been safe outside. My dream for him wasnt going to be a reality and I didn't want him to go back inside after his beautiful day in the sun and then later have to make the same decision on an awful dreary day... So it was time...
I still miss his sweet face. It just isnt fair. My experience so far with my first chickens has been mostly great, I would never take these memories back but because of some things we have gone through before they are even a year old, I don't think we will ever buy hatchery quality again. The results of quantity over quality has shown and the heartache isnt worth it. Id rather have the odds stacked in mine and my flocks favor and go with a breeder that breeds with health and the standard of perfection in mind.
Thank you everyone for the kind thoughts. He wasn't suffering by any means...he was healed a long time ago, he wasn't in pain. That boy was spoiled and given all my husband and I could give. He was interacted with more than any of our animals, almost as much as a child because of how much social creatures birds and chickens are. If he had a choice he would have been content being spoiled. But he wasnt thriving. My dream was to get him adapted enough to be in the sun again soon as spring came. The thought of putting him down had been creeping in my mind once he started having difficulties navigating his pen to his food and water. Friday was a beautiful day finally, perfect to let him be with his fellow friends and confirm his difficulties/impossibilities getting around inside and out of the coop. There was no way he would have been safe outside. My dream for him wasnt going to be a reality and I didn't want him to go back inside after his beautiful day in the sun and then later have to make the same decision on an awful dreary day...
So it was time... I still miss his sweet face. It just isnt fair. My experience so far with my first chickens has been mostly great, I would never take these memories back but because of some things we have gone through before they are even a year old, I don't think we will ever buy hatchery quality again. The results of quantity over quality has shown and the heartache isnt worth it. Id rather have the odds stacked in mine and my flocks favor and go with a breeder that breeds with health and the standard of perfection in mind.
That's beautiful! A sweet memorial. This was such a difficult decision. Find joy in watching the rest of your flock. They are beautiful and well cared for!
Rits
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Thank you, Sharon and thats what really helps me. Having all of my pets that are still counting on me. Our animals are such great therapy.
OMG, I'm new to D.Chat & just found this Chicken Thread!!! Yea! I have chickens & I'm nuts about them.
@Rits I'm so sorry about your recent loss. I don't make pets out of mine, but I've still shed some tears over a few.
I've just read the last few pages, I'm sure there are some great photos and happy & sad stories since this goes back so many years. I just wanted to pop in and say how happy I am that I can share chicken things here too! I have 17 (one is a rooster). The oldest are turning 3 in June, we've had some new additions every year, so we always have pullets that lay like crazy. But not this year! I've sworn no chicks until 2020, unless we have a disaster and loose a bunch! Chicken math got away from me and I really want to get back to my bakers dozen! The 16 are laying 10 - 14 eggs a day.
@Rits I'm so sorry about your recent loss. I don't make pets out of mine, but I've still shed some tears over a few.
I've just read the last few pages, I'm sure there are some great photos and happy & sad stories since this goes back so many years. I just wanted to pop in and say how happy I am that I can share chicken things here too! I have 17 (one is a rooster). The oldest are turning 3 in June, we've had some new additions every year, so we always have pullets that lay like crazy. But not this year! I've sworn no chicks until 2020, unless we have a disaster and loose a bunch! Chicken math got away from me and I really want to get back to my bakers dozen! The 16 are laying 10 - 14 eggs a day.
Seriously great story I just read on a man and one chicken who sailed the world for 5 years. Thought some of you might enjoy this:
Have hen will travel: the man who sailed round the world with a chicken
Have hen will travel: the man who sailed round the world with a chicken
Here's the flock with my friend and her Dutch Shepherd. She's chopping up, ahem, raw (store-bought) chicken to feed to the dog and the 2 cats, as we feed raw on occasion. Chickens are terribly fond of meat and gather 'round and fight over any bits and pieces that fly off the board. When she's done,a few fly to the board to peck bits as the dog licks the board. Hope you guys share my dark sense of humor... Reckless (the dog) is completely chicken friendly. Anyhow I thought this one would help you picture the size of the free range - about 7 acres fenced, but the chickens don't explore more than 2 or 3 at the most.
Wow I had no idea!
I didn't either. I wanted sweet little chickens in the backyard all my life and finally got them 3 years ago. They are sweet to me, but not to each other. They are honest, if nothing else. They have no cares and no mercy when it comes to order within the flock. I probably see a lot more with free range and 3 generations and a rooster than many backyard chicken owners that have hens only in a coop. I was shocked by their behavior more than once. Plus the first rooster was mean and attacked people. With so much animal behavior studies under my belt I thought this could be managed but no, he thought we needed to die if we came out in the yard. I tried for 8 months, but couldn't change him. This one pictured is his son, but is good as gold, not even a stink eye from him. I am totally fascinated by chicken behavior and antics within the flock. I felt so sorry for the bottom of the pecking order hen because she had zero friends (the original bunch of 9 hens and 1 roo). The next year we let a hen set eggs and had new babies. When they were "weaned" from their mother and starting to roost with the older bunch, I thought oh finally Bonnie will have friends. No, Bonnie was the meanest of all to those youngsters. Her chicken brain made her want to move up the ladder and she finally had a way to do it. I've learned so much from observing chickens, stuff I never knew needed to be learned. I also have some soft heart warming stories too, which I will share with photos here eventually.
OMG! They LOVE their protein. Mine are happy cluckers right now with all the rain. All the meaty snacks in the ground are coming to the surface to keep from drowning. Easy pickins for the girls and they are VERY happy about it.
Right as the days start getting shorter, I increase their protein to help with molting. Their favorite is chicken, something morbid about that so I struggling giving it to them. I do cave on occasion and Lucy (top of the pecking order) with run off with a whole chicken part.
Rits
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Uh, yeah. You would be amazed the work they do on a leftover roast carcass... Its nowhere to be found in a matter of hours. Bones included. They pick the bones up and hit them against the ground to smash them apart. Chickens are little raptors. Poultry is not off the menu for them.
Well, that's true. Duh. I know they love bugs but didn't relate that to actual meat like we eat! But I can see that now! Wow.
My friend 3 houses down has chickens and she had to get rid of her rooster too. He was attacking her poor mom, who takes care of them while my friend is at work. He was real mean! Luckily, another friend further down took him in.
Incredible!! I would never think that possible. But how great is that? Recycling at its best!
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