Cackle Hatchery - Hatch Date: 3/12/2023

[MagistraTn]

Todays fun includes a shiny new mirror!

my tiniest Wyandotte keeps getting pasty. We gave her a thorough (sometimes it’s hard to get 100%) cleaning last night and she is messy (not really clogged, but it’s all getting stuck on her fluff) again this morning. Im going to get some Vaseline and give that a try. Any other suggestions? She is the only one still having issues, but still perky, eating, drinking and running around like crazy!


I have to say, though, we have way less pasting this year with twice as many birds. I’m attributing it to the outdoor set up.

 

[Adorae]

Here are all of mine. 28 ordered, 2 bonuses sent. Kind of upset, one if the silkies (which we know folks were having issues with from Cackles this year) has a scissor beak which will be super difficult to rehome

I got a Silkie with scissor beak from cackle this year too. Sadly it passed away at 1 week.

 

[MagistraTn]

So the wind blew open a door on the brooder (it’s now wedged with a stick) and half my chicklets escaped into the bigs area. Thankfully, no one was hurt!

my itsy bitty with the pasty seems to be doing fine, she is just so small!

however, I’ve noticed a few birds with missing toes, and my son saw one lose a toenail on day 2. It’s likely no big deal, right? I’ve also noticed their toenails look dirty, and I don’t recall seeing that on our first batch last year. Will the dust bath take care of that? I’m wondering when to give them that…anyone have advice? I’m also wondering when I should switch to pine shavings.

 

[Whittni]

Todays fun includes a shiny new mirror!

my tiniest Wyandotte keeps getting pasty. We gave her a thorough (sometimes it’s hard to get 100%) cleaning last night and she is messy (not really clogged, but it’s all getting stuck on her fluff) again this morning. Im going to get some Vaseline and give that a try. Any other suggestions? She is the only one still having issues, but still perky, eating, drinking and running around like crazy!


I have to say, though, we have way less pasting this year with twice as many birds. I’m attributing it to the outdoor set up.
View attachment 3472130

I have like 6 chicks getting pasty butt in this batch. I'd say it's mostly because they're so fluffy on their butts In theory though, it's related to fluxation of temperatures likely from their trip from the hatchery. It should stop by the end of week 2.

 

[Whittni]

So the wind blew open a door on the brooder (it’s now wedged with a stick) and half my chicklets escaped into the bigs area. Thankfully, no one was hurt!

my itsy bitty with the pasty seems to be doing fine, she is just so small!

however, I’ve noticed a few birds with missing toes, and my son saw one lose a toenail on day 2. It’s likely no big deal, right? I’ve also noticed their toenails look dirty, and I don’t recall seeing that on our first batch last year. Will the dust bath take care of that? I’m wondering when to give them that…anyone have advice? I’m also wondering when I should switch to pine shavings.

It's fine to miss toes. I had a Japanese Bantam many years have one toe completely missing and she had no problems roosting or raise chicks. Maybe the big chicks pecked them?

For dirty toes, soap and water or a dust bath to clean them yep! Brooders just get dirty

 

[Whittni]

Cackle Hatchery Silkie Update: 1 white had crossbeak, 1 splash passed away. Definitely something up with that batch of silkies in April.

 

[MagistraTn]

My chicks are all going well. The cockerels are asserting themselves.

now I’m stressing about how to integrate them. several have jumped out whilst I’m cleaning up the brooder and one got a peck from a hen, but no crying or damage. They’ve been in a see no touch situation since the beginning.

sould I close off part of the coop for them? That would be the section where the hens food is and where they go up to roost. Obviously, I would move their food out and only let the chicklets out after/before bedtime for the hens so as to not make them fretful. Alternatively, I would just let them out and watch over them for a period.

 

[Whittni]

My chicks are all going well. The cockerels are asserting themselves.

now I’m stressing about how to integrate them. several have jumped out whilst I’m cleaning up the brooder and one got a peck from a hen, but no crying or damage. They’ve been in a see no touch situation since the beginning.

sould I close off part of the coop for them? That would be the section where the hens food is and where they go up to roost. Obviously, I would move their food out and only let the chicklets out after/before bedtime for the hens so as to not make them fretful. Alternatively, I would just let them out and watch over them for a period.

I would make a space with a hole only they can get through to escape from the bigger birds

 

[MagistraTn]

I would make a space with a hole only they can get through to escape from the bigger birds

Thanks. I opened up the brooder and made some steps down for them out of concrete blocks. They are now enjoying about 60 sq feet on the ground. I think I’m going to stick with this for a week, as one of my hens is acting extremely concerned about them being out.

next step, I’ll make a chicklet sized hole like you suggest for them to get back into the “inner sanctum” Hopefully, I’ll keep everyone happy!

 

[BastyPutt]

Cackle Hatchery Silkie Update: 1 white had crossbeak, 1 splash passed away. Definitely something up with that batch of silkies in April.

Not that it has bearing on the crossbeak, but I would be skeptical of feeding medicated starter to new bantams, especially if they are vaccinated.