Chick raising Diary! 🐣 First time raising babies, with a first-time broody-mother (cute chick photos incoming!)

[GreenJay]

They grow so fast!
Stay strong Popcorn!

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Popcorn is still gaping after drinking, and I saw them doing it whilst sunbathing too - maybe they are just a bit of a sickly one? I gave them a few drops of Verm-X (natural prebiotic for gut hygiene) and Battles Poultry drink (energy sugar syrup with minerals) in their water.

Have you asked about this in another forum? Somebody might be able to help if you're really worried.

 

[Ambera]

Have you asked about this in another forum? Somebody might be able to help if you're really worried.

I did post in the Health forum, no one came back saying anything too scary but also not too many suggestions either.

Popcorn doesn't seem to be getting any better or worse with regards to this, and other than just being a bit smaller than the others they seem normal otherwise! Hopefully it's nothing serious, or the things I added to the drink today may help

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Hopefully it's nothing serious, or the things I added to the drink today may help

I hope so!

 

[Abbyandherchicks]

Wow! I have some of my own too. If I had a yellow one I oils name it sunny or sunflower… it would really depend on what colour it will be when it grows up, also its breed. Have fun with your chicks. Btw did they hatch in an incubator or with a broody hen? I would like to know for my sake please!!!

 

[Ambera]

Wow! I have some of my own too. If I had a yellow one I oils name it sunny or sunflower… it would really depend on what colour it will be when it grows up, also its breed. Have fun with your chicks. Btw did they hatch in an incubator or with a broody hen? I would like to know for my sake please!!!

Sunflower is such a cute name!

The black one hatched under the broody hen! Unfortunately I started with 6 eggs, and only 1 hatched (2 infertile, 1 broke, 1 underdeveloped and 1 just never made it out the shell...).

I then bought the two Pekins (yellow and lilac!) at 5 days old and she accepted them no issues! They were hatched in an incubator, but are now loving living an outdoor life!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I love this and your chicks so sweet! Looking forward to watching them grow!

 

[Ambera]

Tuesday 26th September 2023
Thanks for all the comments ^^

They're growing so fast!! Nugget is now 7 days old, and the other two are 10 days old.

Nugget and Lilac are now giant, and acting like it! They're spending less time with mum and more time running around causing chaos! They also have cute little tail tufts at the moment! Popcorn meanwhile feels like they are half the size of the other two, with much less developed wings (though some feathers are starting to come through!). They are less energetic, and still looking for the warmth of mum more!

When I pick up Lilac or Nugget now, they just literally fly to get back to mum! Nugget especially doesn't stand still for a photo... Popcorn will happily sit in the hand still.

I replaced their water with homemade electrolytes (1 tsp sugar, pinch of salt in water) for Popcorn's gaping problem, as recommended on my other thread.

It was another quite nice day again today, with some sun - so they enjoyed sitting in the sun. Other activies included climbing the perch bar and flying from it, climbing the back of the sandpit, running around chasing flies and eating Lily's handpicked spiders!

If you want to watch just 45 seconds of chicks being chicks and cheeping, here you go!

Big storm blowing in tomorrow, wind gusts up to 40mph but not much rain due! I've secured down as much as I can in the run but will be checking up on them to see if they're warm enough! Lily is doing a great job though.

Nugget Age: 7 days
Lilac & Popcorn Age: 10 days
Highest daytime temperature: 18c (64f)
Overnight lowest outside temperature tonight: 11c (51f)

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Tuesday 26th September 2023
Thanks for all the comments ^^

They're growing so fast!! Nugget is now 7 days old, and the other two are 10 days old.

View attachment 3646124View attachment 3646126
View attachment 3646127View attachment 3646128

Nugget and Lilac are now giant, and acting like it! They're spending less time with mum and more time running around causing chaos! They also have cute little tail tufts at the moment! Popcorn meanwhile feels like they are half the size of the other two, with much less developed wings (though some feathers are starting to come through!). They are less energetic, and still looking for the warmth of mum more!

When I pick up Lilac or Nugget now, they just literally fly to get back to mum! Nugget especially doesn't stand still for a photo... Popcorn will happily sit in the hand still.

I replaced their water with homemade electrolytes (1 tsp sugar, pinch of salt in water) for Popcorn's gaping problem, as recommended on my other thread.

It was another quite nice day again today, with some sun - so they enjoyed sitting in the sun. Other activies included climbing the perch bar and flying from it, climbing the back of the sandpit, running around chasing flies and eating Lily's handpicked spiders!

View attachment 3646132View attachment 3646131
View attachment 3646134View attachment 3646133
View attachment 3646136View attachment 3646135

If you want to watch just 45 seconds of chicks being chicks and cheeping, here you go!

Big storm blowing in tomorrow, wind gusts up to 40mph but not much rain due! I've secured down as much as I can in the run but will be checking up on them to see if they're warm enough! Lily is doing a great job though.

Nugget Age: 7 days
Lilac & Popcorn Age: 10 days
Highest daytime temperature: 18c (64f)
Overnight lowest outside temperature tonight: 11c (51f)

They really are so cute!

 

[Ambera]

Wednesday 27th September 2023

Bit of a catch-up post as I've missed a couple of days!

Today was a grey day, but not cold - so the chicks were enjoying exploring around. The predicted storm was no where near as bad as could have been, it mostly missed us and hit Wales/western England.

I weighed them again today, though Lilac managed to escape my hands twice and flew to the floor! I will weigh them on the ground next time!

• Nugget: 60g (+8g)
• Lilac: 52g (+7g)
• Popcorn: 37g (+7g)

Lilac and Nugget have developed ever-so-cute tail tufts, as well as very capable wings! Popcorn is still tail-less and small... I wonder if they will ever catch up?

Nugget Age: 8 days
Lilac & Popcorn Age: 11 days
Highest daytime temperature: 18c (64f)
Overnight lowest outside temperature tonight: 13c (55f)

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Thursday 28th September 2023

They're getting so big! Well, Nugget and Lilac are! Popcorn looks like they are almost a week behind the other two now, hope everythings okay... See the size difference on the eating photo!

I'm 95% sure Nugget is going to be a cockerel, but now I'm also getting vibes that Lilac will be a cockerel too - with how they stand tall and chest puffed out sometimes. Also with their fast development! They are a true bantam, whilst Nugget is just a half-bantam, but Lilac is basically as big and developing as fast as Nug! I feel I am 70% sure Lilac is a cockerel...
Meanwhile I'm 70% sure Popcorn will be a hen.... or they're just the runt!

It was a lovely day, but it started a howling gail at 6pm, prompting them all to go to bed early - just see them queueing up whilst Lily get's comfy in there!

Nugget Age: 9 days
Lilac & Popcorn Age: 12 days
Highest daytime temperature: 16c (60f)
Overnight lowest outside temperature tonight: 11c (51f)