Australorps breed Thread

[KikiLeigh02]

@Coop Z-ville mind sharing your experience with the experts @ Purdue?

Kikit, do you mind sharing how your vet was able to help Winn? Im sure many could learn from your experience if you share it.

 

[Coop Z-ville]

Winn was not eating or drinking (about 2 weeks old-Mother's Day). She had stopped peeping, just made a little crackly noise. She was very listless and not moving around a lot. My husband and I had agreed that we would not take our chicks to the vet (he had had enough with mice, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, etc!), so I talked to a guy who works at our local TSC and who seemed to know a lot about chickens. He thought a call to Purdue might get me some help, as the school is well known for ag sciences, including farm animals. I called (this was a Sunday so I was not very hopeful) and got their answering service. I left a message, and an hour later, I got a call from Pat in their avian diagnostic laboratory. She was super nice and spent a lot of time with me. She could not give an exact diagnosis, of course, but told me that she would not recommend any antibiotics at that time, but that I should isolate Winn from other chicks so she would not have to compete for food (if it was contagious, they had already been exposed). I was told to mix molasses with her chick feed to make a slurry and mix some powdered milk with water for extra protein. I gave her water a drop at a time with an eyedropper, several times an hour, being careful not to give her too much or drown her. I fed her by hand and kept her very warm in her own brooder with towels as bedding (changed often as needed. After a few days, I offered her "BabyCake" by Farmers Helper, which she really started to eat. Soon she was eating regular chick food and drinking water from her dish. I continued to keep the BabyCake in there and she would lay by it and nibble. After a few days longer, I put her back with the other chicks (I could hear a little peep from her when I held her, so I felt she was getting better). Another question I had for Pat was would she be accepted by the other chicks, and she said yes. All was good. She ran right to Elsa, my Swedish Flower Hen and stayed under her-Elsa was twice her size by then, and kind of acted like her mother! I kept the BabyCake in the brooder and made sure she got a chance to eat without being bullied. I saw no problem with the others not letting her eat or drink. She stayed very small for a long time, but has caught up in size with her flock at 13 weeks old.

 

[ronott1]

Winn was not eating or drinking (about 2 weeks old-Mother's Day). She had stopped peeping, just made a little crackly noise. She was very listless and not moving around a lot. My husband and I had agreed that we would not take our chicks to the vet (he had had enough with mice, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, etc!), so I talked to a guy who works at our local TSC and who seemed to know a lot about chickens. He thought a call to Purdue might get me some help, as the school is well known for ag sciences, including farm animals. I called (this was a Sunday so I was not very hopeful) and got their answering service. I left a message, and an hour later, I got a call from Pat in their avian diagnostic laboratory. She was super nice and spent a lot of time with me. She could not give an exact diagnosis, of course, but told me that she would not recommend any antibiotics at that time, but that I should isolate Winn from other chicks so she would not have to compete for food (if it was contagious, they had already been exposed). I was told to mix molasses with her chick feed to make a slurry and mix some powdered milk with water for extra protein. I gave her water a drop at a time with an eyedropper, several times an hour, being careful not to give her too much or drown her. I fed her by hand and kept her very warm in her own brooder with towels as bedding (changed often as needed. After a few days, I offered her "BabyCake" by Farmers Helper, which she really started to eat. Soon she was eating regular chick food and drinking water from her dish. I continued to keep the BabyCake in there and she would lay by it and nibble. After a few days longer, I put her back with the other chicks (I could hear a little peep from her when I held her, so I felt she was getting better). Another question I had for Pat was would she be accepted by the other chicks, and she said yes. All was good. She ran right to Elsa, my Swedish Flower Hen and stayed under her-Elsa was twice her size by then, and kind of acted like her mother! I kept the BabyCake in the brooder and made sure she got a chance to eat without being bullied. I saw no problem with the others not letting her eat or drink. She stayed very small for a long time, but has caught up in size with her flock at 13 weeks old.

Nice job on saving the chick!

 

[Coop Z-ville]

Thanks! I am so happy it ended well! Winn is in the front in the group shot. Picture 2 is a closeup of Winn. Third picture is Dixie on the swing (she loves to swing!)

 

[ronott1]

View attachment 1489626 View attachment 1489628 View attachment 1489629
Thanks! I am so happy it ended well! Winn is in the front in the group shot. Picture 2 is a closeup of Winn. Third picture is Dixie on the swing (she loves to swing!)

They look like a nice flock!

 

[Lobzi]

Thank you so much for sharing that. I will not be so quick to use antibiotics from now on and instead try isolation and molasses as well as the milk in the water for extra protein.

 

[Coop Z-ville]

They look like a nice flock!

Only one missing from the picture is Elsa, my Swedish Flower Hen. She is definitely the queen of the group and they (usually) defer to her. She must have had more important things to do than get her picture taken!

 

[ronott1]

like taking a dust bath!

 

[getaclue]

Yes, thanks for sharing.

 

[BluRoo Farm OH]

I am excited to join this discussion group, and glad it is going strong! I am new to keeping chickens, and did a lot of research on breeds that would be good for my small flock of 5 chickens. I have 2 Black Australorps born April 30th, Winn and Dixie, along with 2 Easter Eggers, and 1 Swedish Flower Hen. They all get along wonderfully, but I must say, Winn and Dixie always make me smileh. Dixie has always been the friendliest of the group, and lets me hold her in my lap. Winn had a rough start, and we thought we were going to lose her when she was 2 weeks old, but with the help of an avian expert at Purdue University, she pulled through. She was always very much smaller than the others, but has caught up in size to Dixie and is the clown of the group-full of energy and mischief. She loves to be petted and will hop up on the "stump" to have her back stroked like a cat. My BAs are not bossy, but so sweet! I love these two cuties and am looking forward to that first egg in a couple of months!

Congratulations on your love of Australorps, and Welcome to BYC! We are BluRooFarmOH and Breed Blue, Black and Splash Australorps; We live fairly close, so stay in touch!