A few weeks ago one of my sweet Silky hens hatched out two wee, fluffy,white chicks. A while later I noticed that one of the chicks had what is called a "cross bill." It's little beak was deformed, the bottom half jutting out to the right instead of being centered under the top bill.
I should have put the little thing down when I saw this, but it seemed to be eating and drinking, and was keeping up with it's mama and clutch mate. It grew and seemed ok, until the last few days. I cooked it some soft food... rice and scrambled eggs, and it ate. But the beak was worse as it grew. I knew what I should do, but the thought of killing that wee tiny thing just didn't set well with me, and I comforted myself with the thought, "Where there is life there's hope."
Yesterday I found her little body in the grass. She was very thin, and I feel terrible. I should have put her down. Sometimes nature is cruel. I wanted to avoid being cruel myself, and instead left that innocent to die a lingering death. Hard lesson learned.
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