About to give up!

[SunAngel]

Thanks!

I think, or hope, most of them are going to be ok now. I have my fingers crossed that the two with the rattle don't have something contagious and start a whole new bout of something to fight.

I was mostly curious if anyone else has had a rough time with chicks this Spring, because I am encountering so many weird things one right after another.

There is some dust in the coop outside, where I had moved them to, but it doesn't seem to be affecting any other chicks/chickens.

 

[upthecreek]

It sounds like the ones with the breathing/rattle might have CRD(Chronic Respitory Disease) . There are meds for it like Tylan and others . It's best to get water solubles and when one starts meds they need to continue for at least a week or sometimes two weeks , that includes the med for coccidiosis . One can give both meds at the same time . I allways give a little bit larger dose than recomended (but thats just me-i'm not a vet and I don't tell anyone to do what i do , i just want you to know what others might be doing) .

Yes there does come a time when one has to just throw their hands up and let what-ever happens happen , but only after we have done the full regiment correctly for a period of correct time !!!

Best of Luck

 

[Chickenmaven]

It does sound like you have one of the respiratory things going around. If you lose another bird, do call your local extension center to find out who might do a necropsy. Some of these bugs will make all of your birds carriers.

 

[EricShane]

Quote:
HUGE HUGGLES!

What's going on?

Ive had a rough year.. I lost my Job of 5 years in January.. *sigh* I lost my house, I lost everything.. I still cant find a job around here, and my cars broke down now too! and then I had a stroke a while back (im doing okay now though. probably from Stress..) but, then I had to move in w.my brother.. - he had rats in his barn, that ate 2 Frizzles, 5 baby light brahma's, 4 young rir's, and numerous others.. *sigh* --- we got the rats taken care of.. but, what do I have to show for it? so many of my babies gone..

--- But, the good news I hatched some of the mutt chickens here in our incubator and i have 9 babies in the brooder about a week old now!

 

[ajablu]

SunAngel, I just read your thread and I think you are right. I was just talking to someone today and mentioned to him that I had talked to several people who raise chicks every spring and are having alot of trouble this year.

 

[cochinbantam-lover]

I am so sorry you are having so much trouble with your chicks, it's supposed to be fun!!

It must be so hard doing all the things you can think of to do and the poor little things don't make it!!!

I do feel so bad for you and the babies, wish I could do something to help! Healing

to you and your little ones!!

 

[Oakeyacres]

Howdy,
Ericshane I'm glad you have the chicks. Chicks make life way better.

I've had a rough chick season also. Before this batch I had two flawless MMcmurray matches. I lost seven out of my thirty. It seamed like I was seeing more shavings being eaten. They arrived fine. They mostly dies between two days and three weeks. They just seamed to get week and die. And the ones I wanted the most died the most. I lost four of my six modern game. My gold laced polish only ate off the floor, shavings and poo. Weird. It's small but alive and well. I treated them with tetracycline in their water for ten days and things improved. Next time I want to try soil for litter.

Also, I started with vaccinated chicks and non medicated feed. After half a bag I switched to medicated feed.

May be there is something to all those shaving debates.

Good luck,
Walter

 

[SunAngel]

Thanks everyone

Guess I just needed to vent a little. I was feeling sorry for the new sick chickies, the ones I lost and myself a tiny bit.

EricShane, wow you have had a really rough time and not just with chicks! I hope things look up for you soon. Things have been rough here also, but not nearly as bad. I think all the stress just makes the little things, like losing a couple chicks, so much worse.

When all is said and done, I will still have my 35 adults and probably another 30+ chicks to add to the group, which is more than I even need. But some of the ones I lost were the main reasons I placed my order (and bought from TSC) and now I can't even replace them, maybe next year.

The chicks are a good distance from my older group and the sick ones are in the house. I have been trying hard to keep my hands washed after dealing with the ones in the house. I am hoping Cocci is my main problem, so it won't affect my older chickens when I integrate them all in 4 months.

Ohhh, I also had one White Leghorn chick with a crop that looked like a balloon. Felt like it was mostly filled with air. I massaged it for a few days, added AVC to their water for 2 days and now the chick seems better. That is another thing I have never seen before...weird stuff!

If this was my first time with chicks I would chalk it up to inexperience, but between McMurray, Ideal, friends, hatching and the local poultry auction I have had chicks here almost nonstop since last Summer...even through the Winter. I have never had any problems with chicks. Guess that can all change with one sick chickie!

 

[kassy68]

What are they bedded on? Cedar is bad so I hear.. You probably aren't bedding on cedar but If I didn't post it I'd keep wondering. Good Luck.. I've got 76 chicks coming in a week and hope things go smoothly.

 

[SunAngel]

I always use pine shavings. Paper towels for the first 3-4 days and then switch over to the shavings. Definitely no cedar.

Well I can now add to my weird happenings. 7 ducklings hatched yesterday, were doing great. Come downstairs this morning and found 1 ducklings body hanging out of the cage, just its head inside and found another one out on the garage floor, still alive but bleeding. I had to kill it

Poor little things!

Lots of chicks and ducklings brooded inside during the past year and none of my cats bothered any of them, never even looked in the cages. Now they murder a blue and a black duckling. I just don't get it! I can't even figure out how they got them through the tiny bars of the cage! I have 5 cats that could be the culprits, but I am pretty sure I have it narrowed down to 2 of them.

What the heck is going on???? Is this Gods way of telling me I have too many, shouldn't be trying to make money, being punished for something? Jeesh, I just dunno

On the plus side, 8 other ducklings hatched during the night and this morning and are drying off in the brooder. 6 blues and 2 blacks.