Lost souls

Today I lost a baby chick. We've lost two since hatch day. They were buried under beautiful trees. I have named them for their respective trees; Maple and Cherry Blossom. It pangs my heart. My loss today was cherry blossom and to be honest I may have ended up calling the little baby "Bambi" but we never made it there. My sweet cheep drown in a water trough. I blame myself completely. We are new to chickens and someone who has chickens set this system up for them. I now know about nipple drippers. So I hate myself that I have watched videos before and yet someone missed the way they provided water for their flock. Cherry Blossom was so sweet and curious. She would come the closest, despite her smaller stature from her siblings. I had just spent time watching her and the others. Trying to get them to come closer and favor me. So brave she was to come so close. 

Sometimes I would go into the coup. After watching for a while, staying still, I would count the chicks, just because. And when I was missing one, she was always closer to me, seperate and out of view of her mates. Just watching me. I lost my baby chick and my soul hurts with her tragic accidental death. How awful for her to have died in such a way. How terrified she must have been and I wasn't there to help her. I usually go out in the coup frequently when home but the weather was rainy and I failed to make my usual visits and checks. 

So I lost my baby chick. And she was so beautiful. Both lost lives were the more unique looking babies. And now I have lost them. 

My heart aches for their short lives. Maple was less than a week old. Sweet maple had problems early and was terribly tiny at a day old. Cherry Blossom was just starting her young life and was finally branching out from her mother. Her sweet soul was returned to the heavens. My heart aches for her terrible death and the loss of life that could have been prevented. Prevented by me.