What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Part 2
A Grave Start
One of my initial priorities was to introduce chickens to the farm for fresh eggs, insect control, natural fertilizer, and to enjoy the sounds of clucking hens and crowing roosters. I was beyond excited to pick up my 15 two-day-old chicks from a local farm in early October. Unfortunately, I made a devastating miscalculation regarding my dog's presence in the car when I went to collect the chicks.
Daisy, my 10-year-old mixed-breed border collie, was tied in the back of the utility vehicle when I arrived at the farm. So, when I placed the box of chicks on the back seat, I believed they were safely out of her reach. However, she was determined to get to that box. Moving like Houdini, she somehow managed to get her muzzle on top of the box, rip it open, and killed two chicks before we even left the farm. I felt sick knowing that my actions resulted in the loss of innocent life.
Could I care for these little beings? So much for providing them with an environment in which they could thrive. Despite the rough start, everything went smoothly the first few weeks once I got them home. I placed them in a plastic storage bin in my living room allowing me to closely watch and spend quality time bonding with them. At 2 weeks, I moved them to a larger coop in the garage. On warm days, I took the sociable chicks out with me when I worked in the garden. They never ventured far from my watchful eye.
The day before I moved my now 6-week-old chickens to their permanent home, I found one of my Delaware chickens dead on its back in the morning. All the other chicks were fine. As I scoured the internet for what might have happened, I read about "Flipover" Sudden Death Syndrome, a condition that can affect fast-growing broiler chickens like the Delaware breed. This syndrome can occur when a chicken grows at too rapid a rate. Since he was the largest chick and showed no signs of sickness or distress beforehand, I think this is what killed him.
Fortunately, since this incident, my adolescent chicks have been flourishing in their chicken coop which they were moved into this week. From the first day, they figured out the automatic solar door my husband installed on the chicken house. In the evening, they safely gather inside the hen house before the door closes at sunset. Each night, I visit the coop to ensure that they all have made it in for the night. In the morning, I delight in looking out my bedroom window and seeing them already foraging for insects inside their pen.