Are chickens this fragile

[RedDrgn]

They are both tougher and weaker than you think; like every other animal, really.

As others have said, if you start with healthy stock, then you've already saved yourself 50% of potential trouble. If you have a good, solid, predator proof coop (and a run for an added bonus), then you're over halfway there! Good nutrition, plenty of water, and space for them to do their chicken things and you'll be amazed at how simple it is a vast majority of the time. However, like all things, chickens can get hurt or sick, but they are typically not especially prone to it if you've got everything else that I mentioned covered.

For an example, I was stunned at how easy several of my girls kept getting bumblefoot. I got more proficient at performing the minor foot surgery that requires than anyone should have to, but when I repeatedly got pieces of thorn out of the wounds, we knew what to do. Took me and my DH 6 months to locate and eradicate every piece of thorny bramble we had on our property, but we haven't had an issue since. So in instances like that, you live and learn and adapt! But once I'd bandage those feet up, they'd go running off like they didn't have the gaping wounds on the bottoms of their feet that they did. When my roo got a broken toe in a tangle with two dogs roaming at large, he was still running around the yard like nothing was wrong. So ridiculously tough buggers, too.

 

[chynasparks]

Thanks, it helps to hear this. My chicks are healthy but I'm in a race for time on their permanent coop. Due to a human injury, work stopped. They should have been "home" by now. However work has resumed and will be done soon. The temporary coop is going to become cramped real soon. They are definitely safe from predators though. I've learned my lesson on putting the cart before the horse. The coop should have been done first. But the peeps are here and I'm already attached to them. Any other newbies out there, do the coop then get the chicks. At least be like about 95% done, you'll save yourself that worry. On the good side of things, I saw my peeps dust bathing in the bowl I set up. Cutest thing I ever saw. Hubby got a kick out of it too.

 

[RedDrgn]

Thanks, it helps to hear this. My chicks are healthy but I'm in a race for time on their permanent coop. Due to a human injury, work stopped. They should have been "home" by now. However work has resumed and will be done soon. The temporary coop is going to become cramped real soon. They are definitely safe from predators though. I've learned my lesson on putting the cart before the horse. The coop should have been done first. But the peeps are here and I'm already attached to them. Any other newbies out there, do the coop then get the chicks. At least be like about 95% done, you'll save yourself that worry. On the good side of things, I saw my peeps dust bathing in the bowl I set up. Cutest thing I ever saw. Hubby got a kick out of it too.

Yeah, you should definitely have the coop/run/whatever living accommodations you plan finished before getting the chicks. It seems like you'll have plenty of time to catch up while they grow, but that time trickles through your fingers SO easily and quickly and any unforeseen incident like an injury and you're behind the 8 ball in an instant. We live and we learn.

Just wait until they are full-sized chickens taking those dirt baths and creating these epic-sized pits in the dirt while they do it. Not as cute as when they are chicks, but ten times funnier...especially if it's a big fancy roo rolling in the dirt.

 

[chynasparks]

They sure are funny. I came home mid moning to check on them (wont need to do that when the coop is done) the plastic hanging feeder had fallen apart. My peeps were a little agitated. One of the Buffs was running around and a RIR was chasing her. As I got closer I could see the buff had the metal washer from the feeder in her mouth and the red wanted it. Good thing I came home! After my initial fear that she was going to swallow the washer, I laughed and got it from her and fixed up everything. Needless to say, I chunked that feeder. I got one that won't fall apart so easily.