E's flock - chicken math is real! (and working towards sustainable meat bird flock)

[NanaK]

I may not survive the experience of deworming chickens for five days straight…

It’ll be easy they said. Just catch them on the roost after dark they said. Pull their wattle down and squirt it in their mouth they said.

I’m here to tell you, our hens apparently missed the memo…despite it being full dark, they were flying all over in the coop and screeching loud enough to draw in every coyote in a ten mile radius while E was trying to catch them. When we gently pulled their wattle down, they were yanking their heads all around like I was trying to murder them. A few of them placed very well aimed vicious pecks. One shook her head like crazy and sprayed dewormer all over everything.

One night down, four nights to go…

If I have to give meds to a bird that's wildly flapping, I will wrap a towel around the bird being careful of the wings. Give them a rub under the beak. Really helps to calm them down and stops the flapping. I feel I'm less likely to hurt them or me.
Good luck!
Chick's are so cute!

 

[imacowgirl2]

Also, Friday night the roosters and hens got mixed, with exception of Lady Babushka...so no collecting eggs for hatching from anyone until March 3 at the earliest.

 

[imacowgirl2]

Dude stood on his own tonight! It was only for about 2 seconds, but the fact that not only did he make the effort but was also successful is a major improvement. Definitely not out of the woods totally and has long way to go, but excited to see this.

 

[imacowgirl2]

Latest batch of Ideal chicks arrived this morning...all looking great!

4 Easter Egger straight runs
2 Barred Rock males
2 Brown Leghorn males
3 Brown Leghorn females

Currently getting them set up under MHP and with food and electrolyte water.

In the incubator, we're at day 19, so we removed the egg turner and increased the humidity...hoping all chicks will be able to be raised together in the brooder

 

[imacowgirl2]

Some chick pics…

 

[imacowgirl2]

In the continued saga of chicken deworming, I’ve been telling myself every night that even if I have to order Valbazen online and it costs more than Safe Guard, we are using it next time…

Joke is on me…I ran in to Rural King to get a second bottle of Safe Guard last night because 1 wasn’t enough to do our entire flock, and what did I see? Valbazen, right next to the Safe Guard —and it would have been cheaper too! If only I had known about Valbazen before starting to deworm them…but now I know for next time!

 

[imacowgirl2]

One of the new chicks seemed weaker than the others yesterday. E got a bit of electrolyte water in it last night but it was still weak this morning, so we brought it inside and she fed it some egg yolk and some more electrolyte water. It perked up significantly after that, so we will continue on that path and hope we continue to see improvement.

 

[imacowgirl2]

15 Buff Orpington eggs in the incubator made it to lockdown...we have 2 external pips this morning!

 

[imacowgirl2]

Today we ended up with 2 fairy eggs from Rocky and Pebbles…hopefully they go back to full size eggs tomorrow! Yesterdays eggs were normal size from both of them…

 

[imacowgirl2]

Lost the weak chick from the Ideal batch; 3 have hatched out so far in the incubator.