So Sad

I lost two little showgirl silkes yesterday,they were 5 days old.They were fine and then two of them started chirping really loud and putting their head between their legs and then fell over,they were gasping for air and died a couple hours later.There is still one that is acting funny.I tried to think of what it could be and what I had different.I had put different paper towels on the bottom of the tank so I put back what I had at first,changed the water to plain water,I had been putting poultry nutria-drench in the water,full of vit. thinking it would get them off to a good start.Looked at the bag of med. chick starter and that had expired 7-13 so thought maybe that was it.So I called the vet this morning and told him everything that's on here,he said he thinks it might have been the nutria-drench,that if chicks don`t need the electrolytes their brain will swell. I did not know that!But the bottle does not say it has electrolytes in it,so Idon`t know,could have been that,maybe they didn't need the extra stuff. I did ask what to put in the water of new chicks and he said nothing unless they are sick.So it sounds like I may have killed them,so sad.It was an awful day yesterday for me.The on that is standing alone was the first one to go,he or she was so pretty.

Oh, I'm sorry! Don't blame yourself; in my experience chicks can die suddenly for no known reason.

I'm so sorry to hear you've lost some chicks. Seems like if it were the feed or the water then all would have been affected.

I know,guess I will never know for sure what it was.Thanks friends ,its nice to know your chicken friends understand.

Okay, I have a sad story too. Can I share?

I was in a hurry to get to Amarillo to see my grandson Thursday night. Was getting all the chickens fed and watered and locked up before I left. Now, I'm in the garage and trying to lock the door to one of the pens and who is standing next to me less than two feet away? Mr. Opossum. Yes, there he was right by me. :( You may recall I lost three chickens about three months ago. I had trapped one possum but knew there were more. Now, here was another one RIGHT IN MY GARAGE around 10:30 at night.

Well, one of my hens, my very BEST ONE, a partridge I paid $$$ for, was not in her pen. I did not notice because I had moved her several times because she was being picked on. I was in a hurry and then saw the possum and I guess I spaced out a few minutes about it.

When I got home, partridge colored feathers all around.

Yes, I am sick about it too.

So sorry,glad we don't have them here,but have many other critters that like chickens

I'm sorry for your loss too. They were sure cuties.

I'm going to have to sell some of these little roosters I hatched out last Aug and Sept. I'm hoping I can be brave and do this. They really do need to go somewhere else to live. They are starting to crow, so I moved them to the horse lot. That one showgirl cockerel is quite aggressive to all the others, roosters and hens alike.

LFJ,cant you shoot Opossum`s?I have 2 fox that are hanging around here,I asked the sheriff if I could shoot them,they are coming closer and closer to the coop even with the dog out there.He said yes if they are endangering my flock.Tilley chases them away when she is out there but she cant live out door its to cold and this summer she goes with us in the side by side.I wont feel safe about leaving the flock out in the run with them around,and if they have babies thats more mouths to feed.I hope they just go away,I don`t like killing anything,but I love my chickens and have spent a lot of money and time on them.The showgirls are going to their new home today,and the 3 house silkies went out in the little coop today with a heat lamp,I will worry all night about them,its going down to -9 the next few nights,but its warm with the heat lamp,its about 75 in there right now,but the sun is shinning in there.My only concern is if the lamp should go out.I will just say a prayer for them to stay warm before I go to sleep and that will never gout at night.

I never trusted heat lamps much. Having two going gave me a little more peace.

Well here they are in the new home.Thats a good idea about the two heat lamps,will have to do that

Believe me, when I saw him I felt SO ANGRY and yes, I wanted to shoot him. I bought a hand gun. Don't tell anyone, but I've never fired it. Anyway, I am in town and it is illegal to fire it without a very good reason. I was just in shock when I saw him and my mind went blank. I thought, "What do I do?" I didn't know. When I went outside and came back he was gone. Later I wished I had hit him with a shovel or something at least. I'm not much for killing animals either. I really think I could kill him though if given a second chance.

Glad I came here tonight and read your post. It reminded me to set the trap again. That trap is hard to set imho. Last night I saw the opossum on the security camera. I really like these cameras. After the shotgun blasts by my house last year I bought this dvr and cameras and cords. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how I'm going to secure them to the house and run the wires back to the dvr. Right now, I just have the cameras laying on the ground, one in the backyard and one on the front porch. It is a very good view of the chickens and anyone coming up to my house. haha I've really been impressed with the view on the monitor, esp the night vision. Really incredible technology, it looks like the yard is all lit up, but it is pitch black outside. The wires need to be run through the attic and down the wall to the dvr. My house was built in 1933 and part of the electrical wiring is knob and tube. The electrician told me it is probably perfectly safe as long as nobody goes up there and messes around with it. So, I hestitate to let anyone up there, even me. It is also quite difficult to walk around up there. The last thing I need is someone's foot through my ceiling.

Not sure if I posted a picture of the possum I caught before. I did catch one. I've caught two cats. At night three cats go in the backyard for water. One is the feral cat I had spayed, who now thinks I am her best friend. The other two are toms that fight each other. At first I was really nervous about those cats, but as I observed them on the camera during the day and watched the chickens react to them, it seems fairly obvious the cats are not bothering the chickens.

Snow is good to let you know what animals are around your house too. The opossum leaves a funny track.

The other down side to these cameras is, I cannot figure out how to set them to record. Yes, you would think it would be fairly simple, but for me at least, it isn't. My mind feels like it is on overload already. By the time I figure it out, they will be old and will have quit working. That is my life. Thanks for letting me talk.

Karen

Cant you just drill a hole in the house down low where your floor would be and feed the wires in that way? You cant find a young person that could help you with the recording thing? They know everything about stuff like that. Try googling it and just keep asking questions and you will figure it out,trial and error.I do all the electronics here,it may take me days to figure something out but I eventually get it.My husband says if I die he would not know how to run anything or hook anything up.lol

Karen, you ARE her best friend (the spayed feral cat)!

Good luck catching your 'possum!

Terri

Look what I found this morning!

Now to make sure my roosters are not crowing and call animal control.

Terri, the cat still will not let me touch her, though she stays close to the front porch for her food, and is not so afraid of me anymore. Lately, she's been barging into the house and hiding out at night, especially when it is cold. If I do happen to see her run in I can't get her out. Scared me this morning when there were unexplained noises in the house.

Good job!

It took over a year for my feral-but-I-had-her-spayed cat to let me touch her. But she came around daily, didn't stray out into the road, and was an excellent ratter/mouser. So hang in there with yours. She sounds like a keeper.

Great to see you caught that 'possum.

Glad you got that thing,keep setting the trap there may be more.