How do you guys cope when you lose your favorite chicken suddenly?
I had a 3-month old Silver D'uccle chick that died this morning either from a predator or a self-inflicted wound I'm unsure. She was the only one that survived in her batch of 6 (4 were infertile/1 failed to thrive after 3 days). I felt bad that she had no chick friends, so I would always bring her along with me for my daily walks for 1-2hrs. I placed in her a little basket and held her the whole way through. I did that for 2 months until she got too big and rowdy to carry. I kept her indoors a lot longer compared to other chicks I raised. She was by far my most friendliest little pullet I ever had. She would always hop on our lap and sit there. She would follow us around the yard. She would always respond to your calls by chirping back. She would always follow close by your feet.
I decided last week to move her outdoors and into the main flock coop. Having her indoors for so long was starting to mess with our allergies. My parents were scared that she was getting beat up by the other hens, but she was doing fine. Most of the hens were not interested in her. My parents wanted to get a separate coop just for her since she was so friendly to us. We placed her in the playpen that she lived in for those months indoors that could be zipped all the way and that pen was placed within a delipidated steel walk-in coop that we use as a makeshift storage shed. It wasn't the most safest thing in the world, but it would only hold her temporarily till the permanent coop arrives in a few days.
The day the coop arrives I was only able to built it halfway and planned to finish it today. Only to be met with devastating news that she passed away from a predator or self-inflicted injury in the morning. I cried my eyes out lamenting on all the things I could've done to protect her better. I could've kept her indoors for another week longer. I could've left her in the bigger safer cage with the main flock. I could've finished building the coop on the same day. It's really tearing at my heart.
It's even worse because the circumstances of her death is so odd and racks at my mind. The playpen, which could easily be torn since its made out of mesh, was in perfect condition with no notable holes or punctures and there was no blood stains on otherwise white/grey fabric. My mom said she was bleeding from her neck and it occurred most likely around 7-8am in the morning since the blood was still red and her body was slightly warm and squishy. Some of her feathers were clinging on the mesh netting. Predators that come to mind would be a cat or possum. Wouldn't a possum attempt to rip at the fabric or at least yank the chick out? There would be signs if that was the case, but nothing. Weirder that it occurred when the sun was out. A cat doesn't have a narrow enough jaw to reach through the mesh I think? We did place a brick inside just to hold down the playpen from heavy wind. The brick was rough around the edges and she liked to sleep against something that we thought maybe she accidently slashed herself on the brick. My mom said her body was next to the brick.
Rest well wherever you are my little Carrot.. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you..
(I gave her a thin piece of carrot to eat when she was less than 5d old and I did not expect her to yank it out of my hand and eat it hence the name Carrot)
I had a 3-month old Silver D'uccle chick that died this morning either from a predator or a self-inflicted wound I'm unsure. She was the only one that survived in her batch of 6 (4 were infertile/1 failed to thrive after 3 days). I felt bad that she had no chick friends, so I would always bring her along with me for my daily walks for 1-2hrs. I placed in her a little basket and held her the whole way through. I did that for 2 months until she got too big and rowdy to carry. I kept her indoors a lot longer compared to other chicks I raised. She was by far my most friendliest little pullet I ever had. She would always hop on our lap and sit there. She would follow us around the yard. She would always respond to your calls by chirping back. She would always follow close by your feet.
I decided last week to move her outdoors and into the main flock coop. Having her indoors for so long was starting to mess with our allergies. My parents were scared that she was getting beat up by the other hens, but she was doing fine. Most of the hens were not interested in her. My parents wanted to get a separate coop just for her since she was so friendly to us. We placed her in the playpen that she lived in for those months indoors that could be zipped all the way and that pen was placed within a delipidated steel walk-in coop that we use as a makeshift storage shed. It wasn't the most safest thing in the world, but it would only hold her temporarily till the permanent coop arrives in a few days.
The day the coop arrives I was only able to built it halfway and planned to finish it today. Only to be met with devastating news that she passed away from a predator or self-inflicted injury in the morning. I cried my eyes out lamenting on all the things I could've done to protect her better. I could've kept her indoors for another week longer. I could've left her in the bigger safer cage with the main flock. I could've finished building the coop on the same day. It's really tearing at my heart.
It's even worse because the circumstances of her death is so odd and racks at my mind. The playpen, which could easily be torn since its made out of mesh, was in perfect condition with no notable holes or punctures and there was no blood stains on otherwise white/grey fabric. My mom said she was bleeding from her neck and it occurred most likely around 7-8am in the morning since the blood was still red and her body was slightly warm and squishy. Some of her feathers were clinging on the mesh netting. Predators that come to mind would be a cat or possum. Wouldn't a possum attempt to rip at the fabric or at least yank the chick out? There would be signs if that was the case, but nothing. Weirder that it occurred when the sun was out. A cat doesn't have a narrow enough jaw to reach through the mesh I think? We did place a brick inside just to hold down the playpen from heavy wind. The brick was rough around the edges and she liked to sleep against something that we thought maybe she accidently slashed herself on the brick. My mom said her body was next to the brick.
Rest well wherever you are my little Carrot.. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you..
(I gave her a thin piece of carrot to eat when she was less than 5d old and I did not expect her to yank it out of my hand and eat it hence the name Carrot)
However you can't blame yourself, you did nothing wrong. You didn't intentionally put her in harms way, stuff happens. And you aren't to blame! We as chicken keepers will eventually do things we wished we hadn't, I know I have. And its just not healthy to our soul to beat ourselves up over what we don't know or understand. We love our birds and do what we think is best at the time. So forgive yourself and remember her fondly. She knows how much you love her, she doesn't want you to be sad right now, she no doubt will always be at your side in spirit within the flock. 
