Consolidated Kansas

[HEChicken]

Danz, that thing is HUGE - wow. I know I don't need anything as big as that. Maybe I'll look in the 1-ton range instead

Sharol, the first day I took the chicks outside, catching them was NOT fun. I had a cat carrier and I'd put one in, reach for the next and first was trying to jump back out when I opened the door to get the next in. The most I managed to get in at one time was four. Finally I had to stand it on its end so they couldn't get out. However after that they had it figured out - for animals with a brain as small as I know theirs is, it always amazes me how fast they learn. By the second morning, all I had to do was set the cat carrier in the brooder and they all ran into it. Self-loading chicks. In the evening it was the same thing. The cat carrier stayed out in the chick run during the day and they used it for shelter. As evening fell, they gravitated towards it and all I had to do was close the door and carry them back inside.

Well, anyone who knows me will be surprised to learn I went to the feed store and bought four chicks today. I know right? Like I need more birds when I've hatched more than a dozen today already and I'm always lamenting how high my feed bill is. But, my marans, welsummers, ameraucana and EEs are all getting older. The youngest are the Welsummers and even they are three years old. They are all still laying quite well this year but I know their laying days are numbered and once they stop, all I will have a white and brown eggs. I like a rainbow egg basket. So, when my feed store posted on Facebook that they had just got in some EEs and Cuckoo Marans, I decided to get a couple of each. The timing is right as I was able to just add them to my brooder and raise them along with the chicks hatching today. And, they are sexed pullets so - unless they made a sexing error - I don't have to worry about spending months raising them and not get the colored eggs. I know hatchery CM are not going to lay the darkest eggs but the only Marans I have left now is a hatchery CM and her eggs are surprisingly dark so I decided to risk it.

 

[chicken danz]

I re

Danz, that thing is HUGE - wow. I know I don't need anything as big as that. Maybe I'll look in the 1-ton range instead

Sharol, the first day I took the chicks outside, catching them was NOT fun. I had a cat carrier and I'd put one in, reach for the next and first was trying to jump back out when I opened the door to get the next in. The most I managed to get in at one time was four. Finally I had to stand it on its end so they couldn't get out. However after that they had it figured out - for animals with a brain as small as I know theirs is, it always amazes me how fast they learn. By the second morning, all I had to do was set the cat carrier in the brooder and they all ran into it. Self-loading chicks. In the evening it was the same thing. The cat carrier stayed out in the chick run during the day and they used it for shelter. As evening fell, they gravitated towards it and all I had to do was close the door and carry them back inside.

Well, anyone who knows me will be surprised to learn I went to the feed store and bought four chicks today. I know right? Like I need more birds when I've hatched more than a dozen today already and I'm always lamenting how high my feed bill is. But, my marans, welsummers, ameraucana and EEs are all getting older. The youngest are the Welsummers and even they are three years old. They are all still laying quite well this year but I know their laying days are numbered and once they stop, all I will have a white and brown eggs. I like a rainbow egg basket. So, when my feed store posted on Facebook that they had just got in some EEs and Cuckoo Marans, I decided to get a couple of each. The timing is right as I was able to just add them to my brooder and raise them along with the chicks hatching today. And, they are sexed pullets so - unless they made a sexing error - I don't have to worry about spending months raising them and not get the colored eggs. I know hatchery CM are not going to lay the darkest eggs but the only Marans I have left now is a hatchery CM and her eggs are surprisingly dark so I decided to risk it.

Oops I hit the wrong button and just sent your message @HEChicken. I really wanted a 2 ton. One ton would be the right size but sometimes when they mix the feed for me they go over in weight. Plus I wanted better wheels and tires and suspension. Unfortunately they only had a 1 ton and a 3 ton available. I researched these grain bins and there is a huge difference what you get. A two inch ball hitch as opposed to a pin type hitch that you'd have to change out if you wanted to pull it with a road worthy vehicle. Extra suspension so the bin didn't magnify every bump when you drive down the road, full sized tires rather than utility tires, etc etc. The whole top slides open as opposed to having a small opening on top that you have to climb up to open and close and those would be so much harder to get filled. I never know what I might have to do to get feed if for some reason the coop I use closes down. I just wanted to be sure if I had to drive further the grain bin could handle highway speeds and a longer trip.
I've noticed how much more adaptable the broody hatched chicks are to the weather than incubator chicks. It amazes me how they can stand out in freezing temperature for several minutes and not act cold at all as long as they can run back under the mama hen. I never put my chicks out early. I even postpone putting them in the brooder house until they are at least a few days old. I've got some fairly young ones I'm hoping to move outside tomorrow. They've been residing in my green house with a sweeter heater and the window on the storm door open. They don't seem to be stressed at all so I think they can graduate to a pen.

 

[chicklover56]

Hello everybody!

I came home to one of my Speckled Sussex chicks having a swollen eye. I am not sure what happened, but if anyone could help me in any way that would be great.


This picture shows her other eye. Swollen eye.

 

[chicken danz]

@chicklover56 ,that could be one of a couple of things. Either it has a cold or other virus or it has gotten something in it's eye. I recommend flushing the eye with warm mild salt water. Open it up so you can get to whatever is in there. Then put triple antibiotic ointment ( the kind without pain killer) on it/in it. If you see any yellow infection try to work that out first.
Then check to make sure it is breathing normal and not acting like it has a cold. If it is congested at all separate it from the other chicks.
I was hoping to have a calm day with only one customer but now I'm up to three and another one scheduled for tomorrow. I was really wanting to keep tomorrow open. None of these are going to make me any money per say. But I guess I have to do what I have to do.
I've got to get out and empty my grain bin so I can go get another load this morning.
I got some plants at the nursery last night so I need to find some time to work on my garden. If I don't get them planted soon it won't happen at all.

 

[chicklover56]

@chicklover56 ,that could be one of a couple of things. Either it has a cold or other virus or it has gotten something in it's eye. I recommend flushing the eye with warm mild salt water. Open it up so you can get to whatever is in there. Then put triple antibiotic ointment ( the kind without pain killer) on it/in it. If you see any yellow infection try to work that out first.
Then check to make sure it is breathing normal and not acting like it has a cold. If it is congested at all separate it from the other chicks.
I was hoping to have a calm day with only one customer but now I'm up to three and another one scheduled for tomorrow. I was really wanting to keep tomorrow open. None of these are going to make me any money per say. But I guess I have to do what I have to do.
I've got to get out and empty my grain bin so I can go get another load this morning.
I got some plants at the nursery last night so I need to find some time to work on my garden. If I don't get them planted soon it won't happen at all.

It will not eat or drink. I am trying to get the eye open but it will not open. It is not doing good, and it's not breathing normal.

I just had another chick die this morning. This is the third chick. The other two I just thought that they were dehydrated or something normal because they were pretty young. But this one was the oldest and maybe 4-5 weeks. It was a Breda Fowl. They are all dying the same way. I go out in the morning and they are dead on the bottom of the brooder. I have them all separated now according to age and they all look fine. Is there anything I can do?

 

[Trish44]

@chicklover56 It sounds like you have a respiratory illness going on. You will need to treat them with an antibiotic if they can drink. Tylan usually works the best for respiratory illnesses.

 

[chicken danz]

@chicklover56 did you put them on corid a while back when you had those hatchery chicks die? Coccidiosis takes about 7-10 days to infect a chick. If I remember right that sounds right on target. If you gave them the 5 day infection dose of corid and they are getting sick, it is probably a respiratory illness and you should get some tylan for that. Because they are chicks and not adults you will have to treat them a little differently. You can only buy Tylan in injectable without a prescription. Buy tylan 50. The normal treatment is 1 ml or cc shot into the breast muscle. But your birds are just chicks. You have a couple of options. Use a syringe and squirt .5 ml down their throat for 5 days. This can irritate their throat. Or mix about 3cc or 3ml in a gallon waterer and add some sugar, a couple tablespoons to combat the awful taste. Make sure they are all getting a drink even if you have to dunk their heads.
The other thing you need to do is keep them as warm as you can. When birds are sick they need extra warmth. If they get too warm they'll move away from the heat. Also any kind of probiotic will help if you can add some to feed or water. Plain yogurt with active cultures is another thing that has probiotics in it.

 

[chicklover56]

@chicklover56 It sounds like you have a respiratory illness going on. You will need to treat them with an antibiotic if they can drink. Tylan usually works the best for respiratory illnesses.

Ok I'll run into town and get some.

@chicklover56 did you put them on corid a while back when you had those hatchery chicks die? Coccidiosis takes about 7-10 days to infect a chick. If I remember right that sounds right on target. If you gave them the 5 day infection dose of corid and they are getting sick, it is probably a respiratory illness and you should get some tylan for that. Because they are chicks and not adults you will have to treat them a little differently. You can only buy Tylan in injectable without a prescription. Buy tylan 50. The normal treatment is 1 ml or cc shot into the breast muscle. But your birds are just chicks. You have a couple of options. Use a syringe and squirt .5 ml down their throat for 5 days. This can irritate their throat. Or mix about 3cc or 3ml in a gallon waterer and add some sugar, a couple tablespoons to combat the awful taste. Make sure they are all getting a drink even if you have to dunk their heads.
The other thing you need to do is keep them as warm as you can. When birds are sick they need extra warmth. If they get too warm they'll move away from the heat. Also any kind of probiotic will help if you can add some to feed or water. Plain yogurt with active cultures is another thing that has probiotics in it.

I did not give them any corid. But I will also get some of that. Is it ok to give them both or should I do one at a time?

 

[chicklover56]

The only one I could find was Corid. How do I give it to them?

 

[Trish44]

Corid is for Cocci, I don't think that's what you have. I think TSC has the Tylan inlectible.