Today on impulse we went to the feed store and got three pullet about 1 week old Silver Spangled Spitzhauben Appenzellers that they got from Ideal Poultry.
When we got there there was only like 10 left (they ordered likely between 25-75) and they were about a week old. One of them I suspected may have had the pasty butt thing so we avoided it, another littler one didn't look so good and another was dead. The dead one the worker there said didn't look so good the past day or two and kept it in there in case it pulled through...obviously it didn't. There were like up to 50 other chicks in the same container though (large container, not cramped) such as barred rocks, RIRs, etc.
The three we picked were the largest, most active ones and had the most feather growth.
The ride home we took a 1.5-2 hour detour driving around the county looking at neighborhoods and homes since we are going to have to move soon but we left the cardboard box open all the way with all the windows open in the 93F weather (they had plenty of aeration).
When we got them home in the aquarium (until they are big enough to be with the Wyandottes (about 3 weeks old) in the garage) all they did was sleep and rarely moved. A couple times we dipped their beaks into the waterer just in case.
Well tonight I checked on them again and passed out they were, all stretched out too under the hot red floodlight... I picked all of them up and dipped their beaks in the water again and all seemed to drink when I dipped them and only one stayed put when I let it go to drink some more.
So my question is...Are they just stressed and tired and that's why they weren't that active here as they were in the feed store? Are they dehydrated from being without water for the 1-2 hours in the car and heat? Or are they just stupid and haven't figured out that the big, red, wet thing has the water?
Thanks in advance... I'll be keeping a close eye on them. Aside from sleeping all the time they seem healthy... I just haven't seen them eat or drink on their own yet (some did pick at the wood shavings (feed store had a different bedding)...
-Anna
When we got there there was only like 10 left (they ordered likely between 25-75) and they were about a week old. One of them I suspected may have had the pasty butt thing so we avoided it, another littler one didn't look so good and another was dead. The dead one the worker there said didn't look so good the past day or two and kept it in there in case it pulled through...obviously it didn't. There were like up to 50 other chicks in the same container though (large container, not cramped) such as barred rocks, RIRs, etc.
The three we picked were the largest, most active ones and had the most feather growth.
The ride home we took a 1.5-2 hour detour driving around the county looking at neighborhoods and homes since we are going to have to move soon but we left the cardboard box open all the way with all the windows open in the 93F weather (they had plenty of aeration).
When we got them home in the aquarium (until they are big enough to be with the Wyandottes (about 3 weeks old) in the garage) all they did was sleep and rarely moved. A couple times we dipped their beaks into the waterer just in case.
Well tonight I checked on them again and passed out they were, all stretched out too under the hot red floodlight... I picked all of them up and dipped their beaks in the water again and all seemed to drink when I dipped them and only one stayed put when I let it go to drink some more.
So my question is...Are they just stressed and tired and that's why they weren't that active here as they were in the feed store? Are they dehydrated from being without water for the 1-2 hours in the car and heat? Or are they just stupid and haven't figured out that the big, red, wet thing has the water?
Thanks in advance... I'll be keeping a close eye on them. Aside from sleeping all the time they seem healthy... I just haven't seen them eat or drink on their own yet (some did pick at the wood shavings (feed store had a different bedding)...
-Anna
