Chicks - with pics!

[Acre4Me]

Today we drove to pick up a mixed variety of chicks from Eagle Nest Hatchery in OH. 6 different varieties!

Here are some pictures of them - to the best of our ability, we labelled them correctly, but my 11yo and I had to work quick! Interestingly, the light/white Easter Egger is curious, fast, and already seems to be sure of herself. One chick seemed a bit lethargic when we got home and I've given some nutri-drench and some plain water, so hopefully that will help. The lethargic one is the smallest and is possibly the "youngest" by hours or a day. The white one seems a bit older as there seems to be very slight feather development, but it is the same size as the other 2 easter eggers and pretty much the rest of the chicks, so not sure. The Black Jersey Giants are the same size, but heavier than the other chicks - straight run so who knows if they are males or females! Enjoy the cute chick pics!

 

[Cyprus]

They're so adorable! :
Congrats on your new fluff-butts Enjoy them while they're small!

 

[FamilyFarm12]

So cute!

 

[Hufflefluff]

Adorable- thank you so much for sharing the cute pictures!
Your light Easter Egger is gorgeous- I bet she'll be a beautiful hen. All the EEs I've gotten have been a variation on the chipmunk pattern, with only minor differences- it's cool that she really stands out
As a side note, it kind of looks like your Australorp cockerel may have a twisted middle toe- it's no big deal, but if you do want to straighten it you should do that asap. Beautiful chicks! I hope you have fun with them.

 

[Acre4Me]

As a side note, it kind of looks like your Australorp cockerel may have a twisted middle toe- it's no big deal, but if you do want to straighten it you should do that asap. Beautiful chicks! I hope you have fun with them.

Thanks for pointing that out. What is the best way to address this? We are happy to try to fix it, but am completely new to chickens.

 

[Hufflefluff]

Thanks for pointing that out. What is the best way to address this? We are happy to try to fix it, but am completely new to chickens.

Here are some pretty good links- the general idea is that you tape or splint it straight for a week or two (not duck tape!), which is long enough to get everything back in position. Treating it also isn't a necessity, as chickens can still lead normal, happy lives with twisted toes, especially if they're as mild as his. I pointed it out because I had hen with twisted toes that I didn't catch in time, and looking at her feet as an adult always bothered me (no! your toe shouldn't bend that way! freaky!), but with cases as mild as his (+my hen's) the fixing is generally more cosmetic. (Although it can hinder their roosting/ scratching, occasionally, so if you're concerned about that I'd go ahead and try to fix it.)
Anyway, now I'll stop rambling Here are the links:
https://www.hobbyfarms.com/crooked-toe-disorder-treatment-chicks-poultry/
http://ozarkmountainfamily.blogspot.com/2012/09/fixing-crooked-toes-on-poultry.html

I hope this helps.

 

[christwodog]

Too cute!! Looks like a nice variety! Congrats!

 

[Chicky Momma93]

Your chicks are adorable!! Thank you for sharing

 

[peckpeckpeck]

Thanks for pointing that out. What is the best way to address this? We are happy to try to fix it, but am completely new to chickens.

Very cute chicks!! It's making me itch for some of my own

For the crooked toe, here's a helpful link:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/spraddle-leg-in-baby-chicks-what-is-it.html

I used the same technique she uses for spraddle leg, but on the toes -- wrap the crooked toe & then another toe mext to it & then vet wrap them together. Check on it every day.
My chick took about 4 days to set & now you can't tell there was ever anything wrong with it.

 

[Acre4Me]

UPDATE:
1. Wow they grow fast! The precocious light colored Americana is growing wing feathers like she's in a race:

2. The lethargic chick from yesterday has perked up and seems to be just fine! I think it may be one of the Dark Brown Leghorns.

3. One of the Silver Laced Wyandottes just died!! No warning, we've been keeping a close eye on them and there wasn't any concerning behavior. I'm pretty sure that all were drinking water, and all were introduced to water one by one as we placed them into the brooder. They also had electrolyte water to drink, which they all seemed to drink throughout yesterday. So this morning, when we noticed it laying there...we tried to give it a bit of water and some nutri drench, and it did drink it, but seemed to regurgitate some of it, and its neck was floppy. It was breathing and we laid it down under (but not directly under) the heat lamp where it was breathing oddly and within 20 minutes, died! Child is sad, and I'm surprised as there was no indication it was in distress that we noticed until this morning. Well, we did know that sometimes chicks don't make it.