Growing little things

Reed wanted chicks for his birthday. We agreed they are a nice addition and our current birds are getting old. Merle, Andrea, Jake and I waited for the next batch to hatch and headed over to the hatchery. We selected 30 birds 26 regular chickens and 4 bantam/silkies which are determined setting hens. Reed loves watching the hens do their natural work of setting on eggs. This story illustrates the power of a mother.

We got the chicks home and settled in the house. Their little ceeps are cute and noisy. Merle and Andrea were very interested. We watched and waited for Reed to come home very late on Wednesday after school, practice, and drivers ed. He was happy and all was good. The next day Merle and Andrea were instructed to just look at the chicks. No touching. Later Merle came to tell me a chick was not standing up. I said just leave them alone and continued with my race to do dishes while Jake watched. I went down later to find Merle laying on his bed very sad. We went to look at the chicks and found one drowned in the water dish and two others who were very wet. One was cold when I picked it up. This reminded me of the calves we have worked to save that were chilled after birth. 

So I used what I had. I wrapped the chick in a small sock and placed it on the roaring fire place trying to get heat back into the chick. The animal kept throwing it's tiny legs out of the sock and flopping its head on the too warm to touch stove surface. I knew it would burn quickly so I added the kids magnets as a barrier. They stuck to the surface of the stove nicely. The chick was not warming up quick enough so I made a hot bath and put it in there thinking maybe the water had a residue that was coating the down and not allowing it to dry fluffy. The chick enjoyed the warmth and begin to cheep again. I used a minuscule amount of soap to clean it and spooned hot water all over its body. Then wrapped it back in a sock and put it back on the fireplace enclosure. I removed the other completely wet chick from the pen and also gave it a bath. It was not as cold but appreciated the warm water as well. 

The second chick could still stand. 

They were not drying fast enough. So after a quick google search I learned they could be towel dried or blow dried and then would need some electrolytes. 

The slightly dry one the stronger one hoped out of this enclosure so I had to make a taller pen. I used the bigger tiles. I was so happy to see the weakest one standing up. 

I called on my local resources and borrowed a hair drier from Aunt Alena. The birds enjoyed the blow-out. And looked much more like chicks. Merle held the blow drier while I held onto the vigorous chicks. Trying not to squish them and get them all dry was challenging. And not cook them in the process. After they were dry and after a consult with my friends who raise many species of animals including hundreds of chickens from chick to freezer we decided some sips of egg would be good for them. So I gave them egg yoke by delicately dipping their beaks in some fresh egg yolk. I made sure to wipe their beaks with my finger so they wouldn't seal shut when the yolk dried. They seemed to appreciate it. After a few hours resting the kids put them back in the large pen and they are doing well. I think because they are smaller than the other chicks they may have gotten run over or something. I don't think Andrea or Merle bathed them. 

It's been a frustrating year. I want to do all the things I use to but I have a big responsibility called Jake, and my kids are also at different help points. Thus my plant starts have all but died. I will be buying my garden starts this year. I'm very sad about that. I liked being self-sufficient and watching them grow but I am thankful for great gardeners who provide that service. 

My sourdough starter died again. I think I could have revived it but my helpful child deemed it dead and tossed it.

But this guy is thriving. He insists on seeing what is going on. So I pack him. I get discouraged not getting my workouts in but I figure carrying him while I pull weeds or check chickens or do laundry also counts. He's about 18 lbs now. 

Other items don't matter like these living people do. So we take each thing in stride. I'm thankful the warm water method worked on the $5.00 chicks. We lost a calf last year to cold and I read the next day about using a warm bath to revive them. I see it works now. Good lessons to learn. Next year Jake will be moving about too much to have plants indoors but maybe the next year we will grow some together. We shall see. We are blessed with years to learn and grow.