Broody/chick issue

[YellowRose1]

I just don't know how I am gonna do this with 2 hand with squirmy chicks. Is mom enough or do I need to hit her more?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

More than likely the chicks have an infestation too.

I understand the littles are squirmy, but do the best you can...it may be easier to soak a cotton ball and dab it onto the chick - if you have a place to sit and hold a chick one at a time on your lap, you may have better control.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Please excuse me, I just woke up, on limited sleep and in major neck pain. Taking kratom for it while I type.

Where to begin. This girl went broody while there was still tons of snow on the ground and it continued to be in the teens 20's and low 30's until just last week If I remember correctly.

When my wonderful vet came out almost a couple weeks ago now to look her over, give her worm medicine and show me how to force feed her, She was adamant then that she was not dehydrated at all. I could not force feed her alone so it never got tried after trying by myself the first time. Point she is not and was not dehydrated. The light was in such a place that she would have to come over to it to even consider getting to hot. And she use to shiver so when not under it.

Yes temps are still high 30's low 40's at night and still does not need to be anywhere close to the light. Fact she escaped and is now laying under the light next to the chicks on the other side of the wire they are still behind.

Hope I covered the first post. Please give me time to get to the one or 2 others I seen. I need to find out what the difference is between permethrin & permethrin 2

PS I always use a light in the winter and 2 when it is below zero

PSS the light is about 3 ft off the ground maybe more, I will measure it. It is in the area where kid pen and mom pen meet. She hide in the back way away from the light because she gets picked on. She and the chicks can still see each other. their food and her food in the pens are a ways out of the light They do not have to be in the light The little door is open at about daybreak and both are in direct line of the door. The wire by the little door to chicks is blocked with cardboard over the wire so they do not get a direct breeze.

I will try to get pic of that set up too. I need the bigger coop yesterday. I couldn't do much for about 8 weeks because I broke my wrist slipping on the ice taking a mouse outside at 1 in the morning, have only had that off about 2 weeks myself. (stupid cats stupid mouse enter live trap stupid skunk) Bad thing is it was probably the one I nursed back to health and it won't spray me

I'm not sure which breeds all of your hens are, but I just wanted to give a comparison as far as temps. I have no experience with hens under a light and dehydration. But here it gets as hot as 100+F in the summer and as cold as -43F and I have no heat in 2 non insulated buildings. That's with tiny Old English Game Bantams, EEs, Silkies and guinea fowl. I don't like it when it drops that cold...but at -5F the chickens don't even notice. They're incredibly tough. If you're girl hasn't been feeling well, she may have been using the light because of that.

More than likely the chicks have an infestation too.

I understand the littles are squirmy, but do the best you can...it may be easier to soak a cotton ball and dab it onto the chick - if you have a place to sit and hold a chick one at a time on your lap, you may have better control.

I agree with Wyorp Rock...I'd catch all the chicks in a cage or pail...anything that contains them and treat them. If they've been under mom...they'll be exposed to any parasites, unfortunately.

 

[YellowRose1]

Hmmm Some spent time dusting in ashed hole earlier today. They have ash on them. "bout how long do you think before it is gone enough. They really don't look like they have anything on them.

Hope the video in this format is clear enough. Don't know much about processing video for upload. I despise google. The vid likely won't be up long. Haven't decided. Few days maybe.
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Re: Heat light in coop- (750 watt red heat bulb) will be about 43 tonight.

I started raising chicks/chickens for landlords parents for meat and eggs. I said I would tend chickens if I didn't have to pluck feather.(did it as a kid) That was around 10 years ago. Never had a rooster and started with fresh chicks every 2 years except the meat chicken. Never dealt with broody's and my own personal flock about 4 years ago.. The chickens I tended I never ever dealt with any of the things I have been dealing with the last 4 years and wondering if I got myself in to deep. (why I gave my horse to a friend that would keep him forever) Don't know why it is any different. ... Oh what I was gonna originally say. Clarence, an old timer here, is the one that started the light thing and I just kept it going. Then it being winter and all. As long as them chicks are not fully feathered, they will continue to have access to a light day and night. If it gets way to hot I will leave the big door open during the day. Open the window more at night an/or raise the light more. Play it by what I see going on. and the last 10 years.. They're not staying with mom...

Was told I can't change the light thing now so easily since they are use to the routine. Re: winter months

 

[YellowRose1]

Oh breeds: I started out with an
easter egger rooster, had a buff roo also but 2 were to many for 9 or 10 EE pullets, 5 Australorp pullets & 4 Buff Orhpintons pullets.

I think I have now, 6 ee hens left, My new roo is a mutt. EE/buff..2 buffs 4 or 5 Australorps
and a bunch or mutts of those mixes. Not counting the 7 mutt chicks that just hatched and the 3 Buff chicks. I have 20 total. 3 or 4 older EE's are going in the freezer along with all the cockerels out there. In the ten chicks. I think I only have 4 pullets. And I paid for 3 of them. So I need to cull close to that of the older girls. Not any broodys- oh ya forgot gave one of my australorp broodys away recently. It was that or the freezer. Trying to kill chicks that weren't hers. Her chick went with her. Don't know what it was.

Big momma is the first one I put 10 eggs under. Usually only 4 maybe 5. Average 2 chicks each time.
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You will see in vid. Mom looked really bad this morning energy wise. No improvement all day. Back to water. Unsure if she ate those few small worms or not earlier. And not interested in meal worms or worms from the garden

 

[YellowRose1]

I'd catch all the chicks in a cage or pail...

I will have someone here for sure tomorrow afternoon to help and I will either rotate them from detention out into the coop or the other way around. Coop to detention.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

O.K.

Let's revisit this a bit...she is still not eating? Is she drinking at all?

In the video, she looks to have quite a large crop or it could be the angle of the camera(?)
Is she pooping?

Feel her crop when you put them to "bed", then first thing in the morning before eating/drinking. The crop should be empty. Am wondering in your first post here - she was drinking and nibbling on just grass - if she is not actively eating the crop should not look like that. Also smell her breath - does it smell sour?

 

[YellowRose1]

I have felt the crop many times. Never larger then a large marble. inch and a half +/- (?) Maybe slightly bigger when she ate worms those couple days. Yes she drank lots of water several hours ago. No food that I know of. I fear them very small worms either crawled towards the chicks and got ate or who knows where they went.

I was wondering about that for a few days. Seems really poofy. Forgot to look at the other buff to compare. Might be the way she is standing slouched?

Heck, I remember for a couple days a while back I couldn't feel a crop at all.

 

[YellowRose1]

I will try to check on a couple other things tomorrow. ie breath etc. I'm gonna call it a night and attempt to gather myself. Been scattered for days... weeks?

 

[YellowRose1]

Quick Q if I may. I'm curious. If you would then maybe I can also. Would you spray the chicks rather then dabbing? Maybe I would feel a little better about spraying on 3 week old chicks. If you would.

Have I said thank you recently? Thank You...