I’ve had to clean pasty butt off of at least 1/4 of the chicks. Hopefully there’s no more cases, I’ve been leaving them alone as best I can to reduce stress.
The pack n plays work, but I do scare the chicks every time I change their food and water.
Speaking of water, I now hate the standard water containers. They make a mess with the pebbles and having to flip them right side up. Next time I brood chicks I will get the vertical water nipples, since I plan to use horizontal ones for the older birds.
I’m going to buy another heat plate today to replace the heat lamp so that I can get the chicks on a day/night schedule. I also feel like the brooder plates are safer. And the first group from Cackle seem to be fine in theirs.
I didn’t make tops for the pack n plays, so if I do this again I will need to. It is super convenient to have them inside while they are so little so I can check on them often and do morning and evening chores without having to go outside in the weather.
Also I imagine everything will be much easier without an infant needing me constantly. Lol.
So the chicks will be 1 week old tomorrow. I will get some pictures of them then. I plan to continue updating weekly on the status of the chicks and provide pictures as well. Unless something happens that I consider note worthy.
The Whiting True Blues have many more feathers than the rest of the chicks. I'm pretty surprised at how fast they are getting feathers. Many of them are starting to show the cute little cheeks. I really hope they all have that feature.
The WTB are also just as flighty as the Egyptian Fayoumi, the Dark Cornish, and the Lakenvelders. They start panicking the moment I take the cover off of the pack in plays.
The bravest chicks have been the Columbian Rocks. One actually came up to explore/peck me when I had my hand in the brooder after changing out their food and water. The next bravest was a Naked Neck/Turken. The rest of them don't fuss too much when I am doing the chicken chores, they just move away if I get too close.
I bought some meal worms and another brooding plate for the 2nd play pen. I'm going to hold off another week on giving them meal worms, but I look forward to seeing if I can calm them down with some treats.
The poor Silkie that has cross-beak and a missing eye isn't doing well. I don't think it can eat. I will be surprised if it is still alive when I get home to check on it after work.
I took pictures of the group from Cackle yesterday. The chicks are all a week old, and I will get pictures of the McMurray group when I get home from work. I don't have any names for the chicks yet since I'm uncertain if they are male or female, and I have been having a hard time telling to difference between some of them. I'm including my guesses on gender just to see how they turn out.
Here are the Lakenvelder.
Pale Beak - Possible Cockerel
Head V with pants - Possible Pullet
Pale Legs & Smallest - Possible Pullet
Left Pink toes & Pale head - Possible Cockerel
Eye Liner - Possible Cockerel
These have been the calmest of the flighty birds. But they are with the NN, Silkies and the Columbian Rocks, which are the least flighty birds.
The Neck Necks to finish off the Cackle order. I have no idea for gender. With how think their legs are, they could all be boys, except for maybe #2 Tan.