California - Northern

[PetRock]

I'm so sorry. This is why I triple secure any heat lamps. You are very lucky your house didn't burn down.

I don't trust those clamps, either. I do use the clamp but then I double wire it to a different spot which at this time is a baker's rack. I also have covers with hardware cloth on each bin so even if a lamp fell, it wouldn't land in the bin with the chicks.

 

[chrissyr]

I lost a 2 yr old hen to Mareks a couple years ago.  She had been vaccinated at the hatchery and showed none of the typical Mareks symptoms.  She just stopped eating and faded away.  Within a week, she was dead.  I sent her to Davis and the results were Mareks tumors.  

that is so interesting, never would have known.

I don't trust those clamps, either.  I do use the clamp but then I double wire it to a different spot which at this time is a baker's rack.  I also have covers with hardware cloth on each bin so even if a lamp fell, it wouldn't land in the bin with the chicks.

great ideas. I also buy the small chains from Home Depot and have latches to secure it. My husband thinks I'm over the top but you can't be too careful

 

[TheKeeper]

I had an interesting morning yesterday. I heard our dog barking in the backyard at 8:30am, i looked to see what he was barking at & i see a yellow fluff ball. I go out for closer inspection - it‘s a canada goose gosling, maybe a day or 2 old. Seemed healthy & unharmed. I spent the morning looking for any sign of the rest of the family with no luck. We are waaaaaaay out in the country and there are lots of nesting wild ducks and occasionally geese but all at least 1/2 mile away. I ended up taking it to a rehab facility in the afternoon. We were starting to imprint on each other. I had no idea how cute, soft, & charming baby geese are. Had to keep reminding myself that they grow into stinky poo machines. Plus, my hubby was giving me "the look" - no dear, you can't keep it. >:[

 

[TheKeeper]

 The heat lamp fell down onto the chick bin while we were out visiting my grandmother. I feel horrible imagining them unable to escape the heat.

I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I did too a couple years ago. I had the lamp inside a cage suspended with an "S" hook and somehow the worst happened. Pinned 7 misc banty chicks & cooked them. I was ready to turn in my chicken keeper card right then & there.
I double & triple secure the lamps now with twist-ties. They allow easy adjust height or placement as necessary.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Hi! New to the group and on the hunt for some quality hatching eggs to increase my laying flock. Im in the Sacto area. Any tips?

I have some first generation olive eggers eggs available.

 

[mike-a]

Is that Lakeville, by Petaluma? Congratulations on getting the chickens! It is great to have you posting here!

Yes i was referring to chic feed

 

[InWrongCentury]

Hello everyone, new chick mama here - one of my five chicks is worrying me. I picked her up from Close Feed in Hayward on Saturday. She's a Black Australorp, 5 days old. She's worrying me because I haven't seen her poop much, and the most recent was essentially all white with pink dots. She eats and drinks, but isn't as active as the others (2 6-day-old Easter Eggers and 2 10-day-old chicks, a Sussex and a Barred Rock). She'll just stop and doze while the others do their thing.

I checked her crop first thing this morning and it was full. Not rock hard, but definitely not empty. They are on paper towels, but more than once I have found a corner pulled up to expose the pellet bedding underneath - but she eats and scratches feed with the big girls (1-wo).

Do I have cause to worry? Should I give them yogurt? They are on medicated chick starter and probiotics/electrolytes in their water.

 

[PetRock]

great ideas. I also buy the small chains from Home Depot and have latches to secure it. My husband thinks I'm over the top but you can't be too careful

My DH thinks that, too. He used to roll his eyes but now after 4 yrs of helping me with chickens, he just sighs and does whatever I ask. I would rather err on the side of over caution than it regret it later. Even with my OCD chicken keeping, accidents sometimes happen. Last year, I made the mistake of putting a half filled bucket of water in a grow out pen at the farm. The chicks in the pen were almost full sized but I guess that they were so thirsty that the mobbed the bucket. Two went head down in it and drowned.

 

[PetRock]

My little Cream Legbar girl is getting so big!! Tonight will be her second night outside.

Your CL is so adorable!!!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Hello everyone, new chick mama here - one of my five chicks is worrying me. I picked her up from Close Feed in Hayward on Saturday. She's a Black Australorp, 5 days old. She's worrying me because I haven't seen her poop much, and the most recent was essentially all white with pink dots. She eats and drinks, but isn't as active as the others (2 6-day-old Easter Eggers and 2 10-day-old chicks, a Sussex and a Barred Rock). She'll just stop and doze while the others do their thing.

I checked her crop first thing this morning and it was full. Not rock hard, but definitely not empty. They are on paper towels, but more than once I have found a corner pulled up to expose the pellet bedding underneath - but she eats and scratches feed with the big girls (1-wo).

Do I have cause to worry? Should I give them yogurt? They are on medicated chick starter and probiotics/electrolytes in their water.

They sleep a lot at first. If she's eating and drinking, I wouldn't worry too much. She isn't panting? (beak open and neck pulsating) If so, they are too hot.