Recent content by DixieChickMom

Thank you for everyone's input and responses. Everything has been going pretty well. The young ones use their "hidey-holes" (they have food in there, too) that I've placed in the coop and the run and when I feel they been kept in hiding too long, I shoo the big ones out into the run and shut the...

I've read all the posts about integrating new birds with older ones and decided to go ahead and move my young ones in the coop/run with the older ones. My 5 week olds had outgrown their brooder and were starting to pick on one another so even I though I should have waited I went ahead and did...

Putting my chickens up the other night at dusk and after they went up the ramp, a toad, who had been sitting quietly by the ramp, decided he'd hop on up there and into the coop. The chickens surrounded him, but then seemed a little scared and got away from him. I closed the door and I soon...

I'm so sorry for your loss. I know that had to have been hard for you and your child. I'm a first time chick owner and have lost two to illness and one older one to our dog. I know how bad I felt then, but could not imagine losing them like you did.

Thanks for all the replies. The main reason I hope they learn to roost at night is that I don't want to deal with matted poop on their rears. I dealt with that when they were young and really don't want to have to wrangle an adult chicken to cut big poop ball out of their feathers. :-)

So, my four chickens are almost 12 weeks. They have a beautiful coop and run. I've blocked off the nesting boxes for now. But they are not using their roosting ladder. My coop is built from old windows, so they have plenty of light during the day. The only light they have at night is from an old...

I don't know what your chicken has but I had the same problem when my 7 chicks were 4 weeks. One looked absolutely "drunk" and couldn't walk right. She was also all puffed up looking. I had others that were lethargic and not moving much. I had two chicks die. I broke down and took them to the...

Quote: Thank you!

Thank you so much for the quick reply! I appreciate your insight! One question about buying some ready-to-lay pullets...how do I make sure they don't give my original girls any diseases? I'm sure there's a proper way to introduce them?

Sooo, I ordered 7 chicks thinking I'd end up with at least 5. They are 6 weeks old now and I lost my first 2 a/r 4 weeks from some kind of bacterial infection (what vet thought). Nursed the others back to health, especially one that was on death's doorstep only to get it well and then it gets...

Thanks for all the postss. She passed away. RIP Dolly. Started out with seven, now I'm down to four...

Thank you. It's so sad. This is the chick that has been sick for weeks and finally was looking like she was getting better. The weird thing is she was in an enclosed run with the door latched, tarp on top and she was found outside the run, under the deck with the dog. Did not see any holes dug...

Found one of my six week old chicks under my deck. My dog was with her. He must have gotten her. She is still alive moving her wings. Anything I can do? She's wet, dirty, eye is bleeding, very weak.

Congratulations! Mine came out on their own and put themselves to bed in the last couple of days too and I was so proud (and excited). You hear how they are supposed to do it, and then they do and it's just the coolest thing.

Two weeks ago I had sick chicks and finally broke down and took them to the vet. They are all doing wonderful after having their medication, one is still on the mend but is finally feeding herself and walking around. It made everything I've been through with them worth it when they came out into...