Failure to Thrive? A Bit Disheartened...

[AmyJane725]

I think it was the broody mama who pecked her or at least started it. She was done being mama and didn't want them bothering her and she is in general a nasty chicken Apparently I didn't check the little chick over enough at first and only saw the head "scalping". I didn't see the chest wound and the back of the neck. About 24 hours after, we discovered that she had flystrike and had to pick out all the little worms. That was extremely difficult for my daughter to experience, but she wanted to help the chick. I think that is what really killed the chick. She died right after we got all the larva off her. Poor little dear. But we tried to console ourselves by remembering that she had a wonderful little life playing outside with her little chick sisters.

Well, I don't think you killed her by removing the maggots. She was probably just too injured/stressed at that point. It beats being eaten alive by maggots. I hope you told your daughter she was very brave to do that for the poor chick. It's a disgusting job, but she did her duty as a good pet owner to try to help the baby.

 

[Gray Farms]

I guess I've had pretty good luck then. From my first batch ever I lost 1 out of 11. Second batch all 5 lived.

Sounds like it. I've had shipments that all have made it and one that they all arrived dead.

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

Sounds like it. I've had shipments that all have made it and one that they all arrived dead.

How sad!

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

Well, I don't think you killed her by removing the maggots. She was probably just too injured/stressed at that point. It beats being eaten alive by maggots. I hope you told your daughter she was very brave to do that for the poor chick. It's a disgusting job, but she did her duty as a good pet owner to try to help the baby.

She held her while hubby did the removal. I held the flashlight. She was crying because she loves all the chickens so much. It was horrible for her but she wanted to do anything necessary to give the chick a shot at life. She's a really good kid.

 

[cwlynch]

The failure to thrive. It's more a matter of rehydration with mail order chicks. You have to give them warm water at least 90 degrees. Use a thermometer, or use your skin to feel that the water matches your skin temperature or is a little warmer so that a baby chicks temperature doesn't drop too fast. I've had only 1 fatality from a mail order bird since I started doing this. Birds from feed/pet stores are no different. You should consider that the birds are most likely mail ordered and dehydrated so simply give them warm water until they are feathered just like using your heat lamp. This also applies to turkeys and I've had 0 turkey fatalities since I started doing this. There are abnormalities in chicks or birds in general but I think it would be extremely unlucky for all of them to be abnormal. Another thing to look for is poop sticking to their behind. You have to clear it and I believe apple cider vinegar helps.

One more thing that's worthy of mentioning. You should also teach the birds to drink when you get them. You should take each bird one at a time and dip it's beak in the water so that it learns how to drink. Chickens are not as bad as turkeys about this but you should do this to make sure they all know how to drink.

 

[AmyJane725]

The failure to thrive. It's more a matter of rehydration with mail order chicks. You have to give them warm water at least 90 degrees. Use a thermometer, or use your skin to feel that the water matches your skin temperature or is a little warmer so that a baby chicks temperature doesn't drop too fast. I've had only 1 fatality from a mail order bird since I started doing this. Birds from feed/pet stores are no different. You should consider that the birds are most likely mail ordered and dehydrated so simply give them warm water until they are feathered just like using your heat lamp. This also applies to turkeys and I've had 0 turkey fatalities since I started doing this. There are abnormalities in chicks or birds in general but I think it would be extremely unlucky for all of them to be abnormal. Another thing to look for is poop sticking to their behind. You have to clear it and I believe apple cider vinegar helps.

One more thing that's worthy of mentioning. You should also teach the birds to drink when you get them. You should take each bird one at a time and dip it's beak in the water so that it learns how to drink. Chickens are not as bad as turkeys about this but you should do this to make sure they all know how to drink.

Update: The second baby is gone. Everyone else is alive and well.

My mail order birds are always so wiped out when they first arrive that they have no interest in food or water at first. I just let them sleep, then once they're up from their nap I show them the water and the food (which is very wet mash because I'm trying to get as much water into them as possible).

I always give warm water, but I feel like it cools off before they get much of it. Do you have a way of keeping it warm for them? And how much do you generally give? I'd certainly like to raise my survival odds. It kills me when these precious little things die.

I've only ever had one case of pasty butt. Took care of it pretty easily and it never came back.

 

[AmyJane725]

She held her while hubby did the removal. I held the flashlight. She was crying because she loves all the chickens so much. It was horrible for her but she wanted to do anything necessary to give the chick a shot at life. She's a really good kid.

That's nice that you all treated her as a family. <3
I know how much it hurts to lose beloved pets. When I was a kid my dad took away my favorite chicken and I sobbed for hours. We love them like people (or I do at least. I might be weird...)
I'm glad your daughter is turning out well. That's hard in this day and age. How old is she now?

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

She's 14. My 11 years old daughter wasn't around until after she died and took it hard. I didn't give all the details. My 16 yo daughter was helping by running interference with the dogs, getting paper towels, etc. We all really love the chickens. Even hubby who didn't think much about chickens when we first got them, has become very fond of them. We're all chicken hearted!

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

That's nice that you all treated her as a family. <3
I know how much it hurts to lose beloved pets. When I was a kid my dad took away my favorite chicken and I sobbed for hours. We love them like people (or I do at least. I might be weird...)
I'm glad your daughter is turning out well. That's hard in this day and age. How old is she now?

That's so sad that you had your chicken taken away. I really think it makes life fuller when you can give of yourself and love and care for an animal. They teach us so much and really don't ask for much in return.

 

[AmyJane725]

She's 14. My 11 years old daughter wasn't around until after she died and took it hard. I didn't give all the details. My 16 yo daughter was helping by running interference with the dogs, getting paper towels, etc. We all really love the chickens. Even hubby who didn't think much about chickens when we first got them, has become very fond of them. We're all chicken hearted!

You guys sound like an awesome family.
My mom loves my chickens too, and so does my 21 yo brother. The 24 yo brother not so much, but too bad for him.