Devil chicks?

[TomNY]

Chickens are flock animals. Chick especially do not do well in small numbers. This is the reason many states have a six chick minimum.

 

[seashoreduck]

Chickens are flock animals. Chick especially do not do well in small numbers. This is the reason many states have a six chick minimum.

Well, I was told here my outdoor set up was only good enough for 2 or at max 3. I can literally run back to the feed store and get 2 more if it will keep them healthier. I had wanted 4.

Use your imagination. You can easily block off larger mesh fencing with cardboard, even paper taped to the outside. It only needs to go up about a foot. You can introduce "toys" and "playground" devices. I like to place blocks in a brooder for chicks to climb on or a pyramid ladder. A tub of sand placed in the brooder is a huge winner. Baby chicks love to dirt bathe. Try sticking a stick through the mesh of the enclosure for a perch. Try rigging a swing using rigid verticals so the chick using the swing doesn't get tangled in loose cords or rope.

There is no better entertainment than adult chickens. Many of us brood our chicks in view of the adult flock. Part of what you may be seeing is the instinct to search for the "missing flock". Two chicks is only slightly less lonely than a single.

See my article linked below on outdoor brooding with an adult flock.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...rooder-and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors

I've added some toys. It's too cold outside for them right now but they will be outside soon. They are by a glass sliding door that's only a few feet from a bird feeder (mostly finches). The baby loves to watch and "talk" to them and sticks her fingers on the bars of the cage and the dog is let outside by the same door so is often around them.

 

[3riverschick]

I don't think one chick is worth all this grief. Get rid of the escape artist and go to the story and pick out a couple of nice calm chicks. This is nuts this chick is giving you such a hard time. It's just a chick after all and hasn't matured into anything useful yet. I think there is something definitely wrong with its temperament and I think it is only going to get worse as it matures. Yes, chicks are active but this is unusual. Maybe pick Sussex or Orpington or another breed known as docile. By the way. I like your brooder set up and think it should hold 3 to 4 small chicks just fine, if they were sane.
Ok so 3o x 30 brooder is 900 sq. inches or 6.249 sq. feet. Subtract 1 sq. ft. for feeder and waterer and you have 5 and a 1/4 sq. ft. of brooder space. Baby chicks in large fowl need 1 sq. ft. each. At 4 weeks they need 1.5 sq. ft. each so you are good for a while for
3 or 4 chicks.
Best,
Karen

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi.

I whole heartedly disagree with whoever told you two was better than three. If something happens to the other one.. then you are left with a single lonely chick. I would never go with less than 3.

As already said, you got some strong willed breeds there. And sounds like your little red is going to be very active. Crazy how they seem to wanna go ONLY where they are blocked from!

And later on... it will be monkey see monkey do!

Yes colorful things help give them stuff to peck at and entertain them. Personally, if I was going to continue using a heat lamp, I would make sure it was red. The instant calm that came over when I added red light instead was unreal! Mama heating pad is best, but red is next. It's hard for the chicks to sleep under white light. Yes, it's the industry standard, but that doesn't make it good.

How big is your coop set up? I would go get me third chick. 5 is my favorite # but only of there is enough space. 1 may be left out. Or 1 may just like hanging by itself but still having the flock around. All birds are such individuals it's hard to say.

When I had 2 surviving chicks from shipment... one was the loudest peeper and going all the time. It would hush when I would cup it in my hand. It needing more companionship. I went and got a couple more. That loud peeper was still loud... but it was different. Even the loud happy peeps of that little white crested black polish sounded distressed. But we soon adjusted and he isn't loud anymore.

Another time, same thing... my loud chick calmed once more companions were added. It changed to running around checking everybody out and having more friends to snuggle with. One of my quietest chickens now.

So even it seems possessed... your red is active and healthy!

SOmetimes you have to keep an eye for pastey butt a couple days. it can be very painful and obviously life threatening. Often it is left over from shipping, even feed stores get their chicks shipped. Other times it is caused by the brooder being constantly to warm. If it continues you can add a boiled, chopped or smashed egg for them to eat. Have they found the water already?

 

[seashoreduck]

I don't think one chick is worth all this grief. Get rid of the escape artist and go to the story and pick out a couple of nice calm chicks. This is nuts this chick is giving you such a hard time. It's just a chick after all. I think there is something definitely wrong with its temperament and I think it is only going to get worse as it matures. Yes, chicks are active but this is unusual. Maybe pick Sussex or Orpington or another breed known as docile. By the way. I like your brooder set up and think it should hold 3 to 4 small chick just fine, if they were sane.
Best,
Karen

The feed store-which works with a hatchery, only has RIR's and PR's right now....I want eggs by the late summer...they don't have orpington's till April.

Now, these chicks are very "docile" when it comes to being handled. Extremely tame. My friend thinks she imprinted on one of the people at the hatchery. But given they are a large hatchery, how could that be? I won't let the baby near them because---baby--but it even loves the dog....although it will abandon the PR for the dog.



Note---it will sit still when satisfied. It actually slept the night quite well. The PR has pretty much quieted down, but this little gal is still set on escaping.

 

[seashoreduck]

Hi.

I whole heartedly disagree with whoever told you two was better than three. If something happens to the other one.. then you are left with a single lonely chick. I would never go with less than 3.

As already said, you got some strong willed breeds there. And sounds like your little red is going to be very active. Crazy how they seem to wanna go ONLY where they are blocked from!

And later on... it will be monkey see monkey do!

Yes colorful things help give them stuff to peck at and entertain them. Personally, if I was going to continue using a heat lamp, I would make sure it was red. The instant calm that came over when I added red light instead was unreal! Mama heating pad is best, but red is next. It's hard for the chicks to sleep under white light. Yes, it's the industry standard, but that doesn't make it good.

How big is your coop set up? I would go get me third chick. 5 is my favorite # but only of there is enough space. 1 may be left out. Or 1 may just like hanging by itself but still having the flock around. All birds are such individuals it's hard to say.

When I had 2 surviving chicks from shipment... one was the loudest peeper and going all the time. It would hush when I would cup it in my hand. It needing more companionship. I went and got a couple more. That loud peeper was still loud... but it was different. Even the loud happy peeps of that little white crested black polish sounded distressed. But we soon adjusted and he isn't loud anymore.

Another time, same thing... my loud chick calmed once more companions were added. It changed to running around checking everybody out and having more friends to snuggle with. One of my quietest chickens now.

So even it seems possessed... your red is active and healthy!

SOmetimes you have to keep an eye for pastey butt a couple days. it can be very painful and obviously life threatening. Often it is left over from shipping, even feed stores get their chicks shipped. Other times it is caused by the brooder being constantly to warm. If it continues you can add a boiled, chopped or smashed egg for them to eat. Have they found the water already?

I have a heating pad (goes to 80) and a red light heating lamp that has "even" heat. It's meant for gecos, but it seems to be working well.

The brooder is 30x30 and the intended coop is now a 3foot by 5foot upper with over a run in a 8foot by 8foot run that's 8 feet tall that I will add perches to. It will also have a 2x4 old rabbit hutch that's solid that will be used for a laying box.

 

[lohoff1024]

You could try giving them more enrichment, thats what I did when my chicks were baby devils. try a chick treat, and lots of roosts and things to peck

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
Chicken math, adult large fowl : need 4 sq. ft. inside the coop and 10 sq. ft. outside the coop. An easy size of coop to build is 4 x 4 or 4 x 5. That's big enough for 4 or 5 birds. Its a nice size. the run only needs to be 4 x 6 for 2 birds and 4 x 10 ( or 5 x 8) for 4 birds. see how easy it is to double the size of your flock with very little extra work?
These particular dimensions for coop and run are very easy to work with in cutting diagrams. Plus, easy to make the run if using chicken wire covered panels screwed together. Also easy to roof the run.
Best,
Karen

Ok with your stated coop and run dimensions in your other post, you are fine for a 4 bird large fowl flock. That's a nice number. how about getting 3 more Plymouth Rocks, sans the RIR? Where are you located?

 

[3riverschick]

Get the smallest bottle of Bovidr Labs Poultry Nutri-Drench. Put it in their water so it looks like weak tea. It helps prevent pasty butt and the runs. Gets them off to a strong start. Successfully combats travel stress in shipped and feed store chicks. Restores the immune system and jumpstarts the G.I. tract. Doesn't need digesting, mainlines directly into the bloodstream. Measureable in 10 minutes, with 50% uptake in 30 minutes, 99% utilization. All natural. I have never had a pasty butt or sick or dead chick when raised on Drench water. Only robust active chicks. http://www.nutridrench.com
Large fowl poultry: Give each baby chick one drop only by mouth. Needy chicks: repeat as needed every 6-8 hours until perky. Add to water for the 1st 2 weeks to get them off to a strong start. I have used the Bovidr Drops and Drenches for over a decade with great success in my collies and poultry. I get mie at Tractor Supply ( about 6.00) . Or try your local feed store. best supplement money you will ever spend, very forgving of needs in chicks and challenges in their environmets..
Best,
Karen

Best Success! Offline now to go do chores.

 

[seashoreduck]

Hi,
Chicken math, adult large fowl : need 4 sq. ft. inside the coop and 10 sq. ft. outside the coop. An easy size of coop to build is 4 x 4 or 4 x 5. That's big enough for 4 or 5 birds. Its a nice size. the run only needs to be 4 x 6 for 2 birds and 4 x 10 ( or 5 x 8) for 4 birds. see how easy it is to double the size of your flock with very little extra work?
These particular dimensions for coop and run are very easy to work with in cutting diagrams. Plus, easy to make the run if using chicken wire covered panels screwed together. Also easy to roof the run.
Best,
Karen

Ok with your stated coop and run dimensions in your other post, you are fine for a 4 bird large fowl flock. That's a nice number. how about getting 3 more Plymouth Rocks, sans the RIR? Where are you located?

I was told plymouth rocks need 15sqft each outside and are very territorial. I could see if the feed store has more chicks still. My run has a roof. I had ducks previous and they liked their SPACE. I had the 2 story "coop" which is a coop-run and the rabbit hutch. They both went into the 8footx8foot wire enclosure. it's got a hardware cloth bottom (till 4 feet) then it's double chicken wire on top and otherwise. The ducks had a 30x30 semi-free range with a pond and then when I was home they had my 3 acres, 1/2 acre of which is cleared. Most summer days they were atleast in the semi-free range, if not totally free range.

I'm in the upper part of the mid New England states...