Disheartened first time chicken owner

[My Bagurks]

That’s a lot to deal with. Go you for sticking with it. With all those issues, I have to ask. Where did you get your chickens from? Lineage plays a big part in survivability. You’ve dealt with a wide variety of issues. But as far as local issues, bugs, temps, weather, look around and see if there are some local chicken tenders to get some chicks or fertilized eggs from. Specially if they’ve raised several generations locally.

 

[aimz127]

So basically: clean the area and build their immune system. A weakened immune system and insects/bacteria/parasites/or disease feeding on them will stress them out. That’ll affect your eggs. At the same time though my hen’s first egg was a little wonky in shape and had a dot of blood. It’s hard for their first time regardless.

Wish you the best of luck!!

That's where I started when the first pullet declined overnight - deep cleaned the entire coop and upped the anty to poultry dust and Permethrin spray since the DE wasn't cutting it apparently.

Now I'm fermenting feed and growing fodder. They get ACV in the water once in a while and oregano oil sprayed on their food. Between all of that, the corid and worming, I'm hoping their immune systems perk up once the colds kills off most of the coccidia that might be hanging around.

I'll agree with Folly's that this has been a wet summer, even for Michigan. I joke with my husband that I should just get more ducks if it stays this wet, but as soon as I do that next summer will be bone dry. It's the irony of life.

Preparation for next year is adding sand and wood chips to their run to help with drainage. Standing water hasn't been bad, but the mud isn't helpful for either of us. The ducks have been in heaven though.

That’s a lot to deal with. Go you for sticking with it. With all those issues, I have to ask. Where did you get your chickens from? Lineage plays a big part in survivability. You’ve dealt with a wide variety of issues. But as far as local issues, bugs, temps, weather, look around and see if there are some local chicken tenders to get some chicks or fertilized eggs from. Specially if they’ve raised several generations locally.

After the third loss, I started to question the lineage factor myself. We started with Tractor Supply chicks for layers and I added a yearling roo and the silkies from a breeder. I suspect Tractor Supply chicks are somewhat set up for failure between incubation, shipping, constant stress, etc.

When I add more to my flock I'll either let my Australorps hatch some eggs out since they seem impervious to nearly everything that's gone wrong this year. Or I'll get some extras from an established flock near me. The idea was to add a few hens before winter to replenish, but at this rate, I don't know that I want to quarantine new birds through the end of November.

 

[JB Clucker]

Hi all, I've made a few posts on BYC, but am still fairly new to chickens. This is a bit of a vent post.

Lately, it feels like everything that could go wrong with my small flock has. In the last month, I lost 3 of my 8 pullets (1 unknown cause, one crop issue, and the third was coccidia). I've treated for lice, two rounds of coccidia, wormed everyone, etc and have one pullet that seems to still be recovering from coccidia (underweight, but eating well). The rooster has scaly leg mites, but he's a sweet Brahma and tolerating treatment for that.

I think a primary cause was the heat and neverending rain we had for a few weeks. It's still raining a lot, but temps have started to dip. The ducklings are loving it, but me and the chickens not so much.

Today one of my silkies almost laid her first egg, but it was a lash egg with no shell so she prolapsed her vent trying to push it out. I popped the egg, pulled it out and cleaned her up so hopefully everything stays in as it should, but I'll keep an extra eye on her. Feels like icing on a really crappy cake.

I love having animals on the property and am learning a lot in the process, but man is the school of hard knocks coming in hot for the 6 months I've had chickens. For everyone that has helped with the various issues encountered so far, I greatly appreciate you all

Hang in there. I'm new at this also and I have already decided that at least for a while I'm sticking with egg gathering but no baby chick's. Maybe later on.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I'm feeling similarly lately. I so get where you're coming from. You just want to do right by these animals, but everything seems to go wrong at once, and just when you get a handle on one thing, some new problem reats its ugly head. It's a lot to deal with, and I wonder if the weather isn't contri utiing to your ennui.

You clearly know your stuff. Those birds are so lucky that an inexperienced, uncaring person isn't their owner.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

You'll get your groove on and be a pro in no time

 

[mccmeadows]

I see you’re in Michigan - we’re across the river from you and we also feel like we’ve had the worst luck starting our chicken adventure this year, so know you’re not alone! Between the heat this summer, the rain recently and I think we just drew a short straw when we bought our flock, it almost feels traumatizing the amount of birds we’ve lost. Wishing you the best of luck and hoping things turn around for your flock!

 

[Folly's place]

Our first birds were Silkies and Belgian d'Uccles from a neighbor, and we didn't do right by them. We found out the hard way that Silkies are fragile, and the d'Uccles much tougher, and way too much about having safe housing, and managing lice and mites. All the hard way.
And we were very lucky that the neighbor's chickens didn't bring Marek's disease or Mycoplasma!
Since them, very safe coop, paranoia about biosecurity, and things are better. Usually. Except for some predator issues, as we do free range the flock when possible, and sometimes bad things happen out there.
Right now I have a nice hen with an infected hock joint, not good, and it's not going to end well. Stuff happens...
Approximately where in Michigan are you?
Mary

 

[aimz127]

I see you’re in Michigan - we’re across the river from you and we also feel like we’ve had the worst luck starting our chicken adventure this year, so know you’re not alone! Between the heat this summer, the rain recently and I think we just drew a short straw when we bought our flock, it almost feels traumatizing the amount of birds we’ve lost. Wishing you the best of luck and hoping things turn around for your flock!

Definitely feels like a short straw, but glad to see it's not just me!

Approximately where in Michigan are you?
Mary

I'm near the Bay area. I am happy that none of the issues seem to be Marek's disease or Mycoplasma. Losing the whole flock would be heartbreaking.