We all had a zillion questions when we got started! That’s why we’re here
I don’t do the vaccines. The Marek’s vaccine can leak, meaning it can give unvaccinated birds the disease. Also, it doesn’t prevent your flock from getting the disease it just masks the symptoms.
Medicated feed has a low dose of amprolium which is corid. It’s for coccidiosis. I didn’t do that either and chose to expose my chicks to the soil so they could build immunity. Since you’re hatching in the fall and our daytime temps are great your chicks can be outside almost immediately after hatching. Mine went out day two and had a heat plate for keeping warm at night. If you only get one hatchling then you’ll need to find a chick or two to keep it company. Chickens are flock animals and need friends.
Things good to have on hand are some liquid vitamins, electrolytes, probiotics, a quality feed in crumble form and plenty of water. Corid if you’re concerned that you won’t be able to find if needed. I’ve never used it but I do see it in the feed stores.
My first aid kit contains Silvex gel instead of neosporin, a pair of scissors, gauze, self adhesive wrap similar to vetwrap and BluKote which stains the area around a bleeding wound and is antiseptic. It keeps the other birds from pecking at a bloody wound causing further injury. I also have a pair of tweezers, some disposable scalpels and some disposable biopsy punches for bumble foot surgery. In all the time I’ve had chickens I have used BluKote on one hen that was injured on her neck once by my roo while he was mating. I’ve only had to treat one case of bumble foot. I keep the electrolytes and vitamins on hand all the time and generally give my flock fermented feed on a daily basis so not much need for probiotics but I have them on hand anyway.
Do you have a rooster?? that egg looks like it is fertile, or that is a reflection from your kitchen item somewhere??
bullseye. They don't merge until after the hen sits on the egg to warm it up.
