Photo by Rachel Hurd Anger
A chicken ’s journeying around the circle of life can be a short one on any farm , whether rural or urban . Flock members can fall dupe to acute illness , unexplained sudden death , human negligence and predators . These devastations can happen before a chicken reaches a ripe honest-to-god age , despite the fact that they can live long living . Every chicken steward must view chicken disposal from the get - go .
In an urban micro - flock — five hen in my shell — the going of just one razzing is 20 percentage of the deal . That ’s a substantial personnel casualty , one that number about a half - dozen eggs per calendar week , not to mention a significant hit to the flock dynamic .
My mint will strive its quaternary hatchday in September . In anticipation of the old hen dwindle , I made the decisiveness to increase the size of my flock by three : the minimal number of chicks I can have shipped to my mail service office . I placed my chick order in December , when 2014 ’s available breeds bump off the online market place like an dateless chicken and ballock buffet . I knew I wanted the Lavender Orpington and Speckled Sussex , but choosing the third was n’t as well-off . I finally make up one’s mind on the Light Brown Leghorn . Her sweet stature and smaller ball cooed to me .
Only a few week after placing my order , my favorite biddy and promontory of the flock , Mabel , a Red Star , became a sudden victim of the outstandingly harsh winter .
My raft dwindled by 20 percent .
A Somber Hatchday
We waited six months for our babies to go far , and when the post office finally called 5 calendar week ago , the kids and I dashed to bring them home . But , our exhilaration was DOA . The Speckled Sussex and Light Brown Leghorn lay dead in the shipping box . The Lavender Orpington lost her fight just two hours later on . She never peep . She never stood on her base . Our chick order was a total loss .
Human error was the cause of destruction . After I ’d buried the wench , I did n’t observe chicken poop in the box . I flipped over the heat pack and observe poop on the underside . I concluded that the box was either knocked around or leave out , and that the bird were in all probability hit with the heat pack . The pack became a major distributor point of contention in a call with the nice folks at My Pet Chicken . Nevertheless , the United States Postal Service has palm baby chicks for more than 100 year , with the majority of packages extradite successfully and with great care .
Prepare Yourself for Loss
The urban farm eventually becomes a best-loved cemetery , which is difficult to conceive of with the long living of a flock onward of itself . My backyard holds a true cat , a full - grown hen , and now three baby chicks .
Regardless of the size of it of your backyard , do plan in front for disposal . It ’s true that chickens can live long lives , but unexplained death do encounter , and human carelessness , even our own , can happen just as easily .
Continuing the Circle
Because we miss our chicks in June , I was n’t able-bodied to order a replacement of all the breeds I ’d order in December . I was able-bodied to order another Speckled Sussex , but the Lavender Orpington was n’t available . join the Speckled Sussex in my new cargo due next week are an Easter Egger and a Golden Laced Wyandotte , plus two Buff Orpingtons I ’ll conjure to fryer for a acquaintance .
I ’m feeling a piece guard this time around , but I ’m reckon good thought and wishing dependable travel for five chirping cheep to go far at my office office on Tuesday .
Read more of Chicken Quarters »
