5th chick dying in my hands right now - help!

[Bazy]

Kathy, if you have a minute I have a question or two for you. I know you are well read and have lots of chicken experience so I'd like your opinion. (Anyone else that wants to is more than welcome to add their 2 cents!) I am cleaning the coop out, have dismantled nearly everything so far. I am planning how to rebuild smarter. I plan on building 3 1/2 to 4 foot high roosts over 3 foot high dropping boards filled like a litter box with PDZ. It will be 16 feet long and 3 feet wide with 2 2x4 roosting bars running the length - 32 ft of roost total. I am going to build a brooder under one end of it and build nesting boxes under the other end. I plan on having a cabinet for doing fermented feed. I ordered a Sweeter Heater for the brooder area. I am thinking maybe the Brite Tap waterer or something similar. Going to provide an inside dust bathing area with wood ash, DE, sand and dirt.

Question #1 Any of these things sound like a bad idea?

Question #2 What litter method?

I read this about how great sand is in the coop http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/09/chicken-coop-bedding-sand-litter.html

and this about how horrible it is http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2013/07/the-real-scoop-on-using-sand-in-your.html

My coop (or hen house maybe a better term) is a 21 ft x 12 ft converted carport. I considered using just PDZ as I saw that suggested somewhere but that doesn't seem realistic, and might not be good for them. So I was planning on putting down a mixture of PDZ and large flake pine shavings. But that isn't really deep litter since I am just trying to keep it dry I guess, which would seem like it would prevent composting. So then I was thinking maybe a mix of sand and PDZ. But I don't know what to believe. And it does seem like come next winter, cold sand would not be nice for their feet. So then should I add pine shavings on top? UGH! I just want to do what is best, safest, etc but can't figure out what that actually is. I know it seems to come down to opinion. So, what is your take? My coop floor is dirt. Our dirt is heavy black clay and doesn't drain well. They will be allowed to free range on our 3 1/2 acres of pasture. Primarily they just will be in there to roost, lay and possibly eat/drink. Still trying to decide if food or water should be allowed in the coop itself.

So I guess Question #3 Food and water in or out of the coop?

Thanks so much for your opinions

~Melissa

One thing I really like about my coop is dual pop doors. On one side of my coop I have a small 6 x 18 run that comes straight out of a smaller chicken wire cage set up inside my coop. I use this cage for a brooder, and add a removable roost for juveniles too small to mix with the big flock when they outgrow the light. They go in the pop door straight to the 'brooder' cage at night and get let out at the same time in the morning with the big birds who have their own pop door on the other side of the coop.

 

[familypendragon]

One thing I really like about my coop is dual pop doors.  On one side of my coop I have a small 6 x 18 run that comes straight out of a smaller chicken wire cage set up inside my coop.  I use this cage for a brooder, and add a removable roost for juveniles too small to mix with the big flock when they outgrow the light.  They go in the pop door straight to the 'brooder' cage at night and get let out at the same time in the morning with the big birds who have their own pop door on the other side of the coop. 

Thanks for that! I was actually just thinking of doing something like that today. I like the idea of them getting out on grass right away. Making progress on the tear down, clean and rebuild. Will post pics once there is something worth seeing

 

[familypendragon]

Geeze, does it ever let up? Our cat is gone, most likely killed by stray dogs. Checked the shelters - nothing. No chickens now of course. And today we got the news that my husbands PET scan showed new growth in his thyroid and possibly in his tongue again. The scan was Monday and Tuesday night he didn't sleep because the site where his chemo chest port was taken out a month ago suddenly swelled to the size of an egg, was red and super painful. I woke up in the morning and he was in the living room in tears not having slept because of pain. I rushed him to the ER with the kids in tow, where they eventually lanced and drained it and put him on Bactrim. Then today we get the bad news that it looks like the cancer is back. He goes for another surgical biopsy on his tongue Monday and will get another needle biopsy on his thyroid next Thursday. Meanwhile our poor kids don't know what to make of it all My 8 year old son has high functioning (now) ASD and my youngest son is going to be 4 in December. This is so dang hard on them. they've watched their dad slowly fade away, losing 80 lbs over the course of this fight. I am just taking all my stress and worry and putting it in to my coop rebuild. If all else fails, I create. As the calendar year is coming to an end its time to look into figuring out bankruptcy since this apparently isn't over, and our copays will kick back in January first.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh. *sigh*

 

[Kelsie2290]

So sorry for all the health issues your family are still dealing with, hope your husbands treatment works quickly with the new setback, and your family gets through it all. It must be terribly hard on your kids.
And your cat missing .

 

[familypendragon]

Yay! First of the new biopsies came back all clear - in fact they got in there and decided there was NOTHING to biopsy. It was just an anomaly on the PET scan where he must have twitched. So happy! We have the second one Thursday - fingers crossed!

 

[Bazy]

That's such wonderful news!

I actually hatched my very first pure blue Ameraucana chick yesterday that was from MY SQ rooster and MY hen! Of course this is the best, fluffiest, cutest, fattest, most talented and charming chick on planet earth....

., and so I thought about you and your chicks coming in the spring!

Things are coming together for you and your family to look forward!!!

 

[familypendragon]

I am currently talking to a breeder of Black Faverolles right now to see if I can get some of those too. She doesn't test for MG, but I would get them tested myself. Then I can have BBS Ameraucana, BBS Favaucanas and eventually when I want to separate the flocks BBS Faverolles. What a pretty yard I'd have Meanwhile, the coop has been on hold for the snow but starts back again Thursday after the biopsy!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Great news on your husbands tests coming back clear! fingers crossed the one later in the week does also.

Favaucanas are such cute looking birds, sounds like you would have an interesting flock!

 

[Boom Boom Chick]

She is shaking like a leaf in my hand

the same thing happen too my chick and its a sickness thats baby chicks get they are ether born with it or they get it from food in there water srry about your chick

 

[freestargirl]

Just read thru the entire post over the course of the day. Didn't cry until you had to put down all of your chickens. :-( I sincerely hope and pray that your new chicks arrived and are all healthy and especially that your husband is still cancer-free and continues to get healthier everyday.