My young Bantam chick that I have been caring died today. He lived a lot longer than anyone expected.To the best of my knowledge, it was hatched around May 10, and then we got all wrapped up in Pop's skin cancer and I didn't take time to document exactly when the chicks were hatched. Regardless, it seems like forever, since this one little chick was helpless when it came to using his legs,anyway. I had to hold the feed and water up close for him to eat and drink,which he was doing quite well, or so I thought.That would definitely make it seem longer, but it had become so spoiled to me. I would keep him in a box in the house, and feed and water him several times a day. He would cheep loudly when he heard me enter the house, and become very calm when I held him in my warm hand and worked with his legs,which were improving greatly.Then I noticed yesterday, he had become listless.I am guessing now that it must have been the air conditioner in the house that gave him a cold,and he was too weak to fight it off. Chicks chill easy, and I had noticed him shivering some lately.I keep the thermostat in the house,set at 76-78, and I would have thought a chick could have withstood that,but I guess I was wrong.I sure did hate to loose him,and I was convinced that I could help him with his leg problem. He was trying to stand using both legs here lately. I would never let him stand that way only a few minutes each day, in hopes of gradually strengthening his legs. Just this morning,he stood up on both legs by himself,but now we'll never know for sure if I could have helped him walk again.
Sorry to hear this. We had chicks and chickens a few years ago and became attached to them! They were a lot of fun. They were killed by a varmit and we haven't gotten any more yet.
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