My favorite of the breeds I got, the rhode island reds, all are dying. I had 5, only 1 is left. I now have 2 easter eggers, and a barred rock who are 2 and a half weeks old, and 2 buff orpingtons and the 1 rhode island red (who looks sick and most likely will pass within the next few days) who are a week and a half old. Okay well first of all, all the chicks are bullying each other and pecking each other, I think it might be because I have a white light instead of a red bulb. Well today, I noticed my barred rock is starting to grow a tiny comb, and they were supposed to be all female, but its looking like its going to be a rooster, which I'm not aloud to have in my city so if it is a rooster I don't know what I will do with it. So I will be stuck with 2 EEs and 2 BOs which I head arent even that great of layers :/ So now that I'm done ranting you can hear my questions (sorry). Since the barred rock is growing a little comb, does this automatically mean it is a rooster? Or do some hens grow theirs quicker then others? The 2 EEs who are the same age as the barred rock do not have combs but theyre the same age. I guess if it is a rooster we can take it back to the feed store. What do you guys think I should do? Take my chances and hope it will turn out to be a pullet or should I take it back now and exchange it for one that looks to be more like a pullet? Here is some pictures of her/him, can you tell what it will end up being ? Here is a picture of its feet, I heard from someone you can usually tell the sex of barred rock early by looking at their feet. Here is some pictures of my last little red guy :C Can anyone tell whats wrong with her and how I can possibly save her?
When did they start dying? What are you keeping them in? What are you feeding them? What temp do you have them at? Are you checking for signs of pasty but or anything? What are all the symptoms they have had? Where did you get them? I dont think EE and BR have the same comb type but I am not sure. Some breeds have almost no comb growth in females till much later and some get a litte more growth a little earler so you may not have a rooster ?? Hopefully someone esle can help you more . Make sure they are warm enough , have clean water , Clean food, and clean bedding.
I'm not sure only the rhode island reds are dying everyone else is doing great ! Chirpping happily scratching for food eating and drink all the time, theyre perfect ! The first three died the first 4 days I had them, when they were less then a week old, another one of them died 2 days ago when it was a little over a week old, and now my last rhode island red seems to be dying too so if it dies within the next few days it will be about 2 weeks old. They are in a big cardboard box with tons of room, and we are getting them a even bigger one. We also have a lid on over the cardboard box. It is around 80-90 degrees in their usually, sometimes it goes down to 80 when we have the lid open a while when we change their food and water and check on them, but when we first open it the temperature is about 85-90 degrees. One of them had pasty butt when we first got them but it cleared up within a few days. The symptoms they have had before dying are droopy wings, droopy eyes, legthargic, sleeping more, weak, and just plain old sickly looking. We bought them at a feed store. Good to hear about different comb types ! I hope its a girl ! :C I clean their water all the time and refill their food whenever it is low, I also clean their cage weekly.
When you get the other box, don't get rid of the one you have now, use them both. Put the new box next to the current box and cut a door between them for the chicks to go through. Don't heat the second box, but put the food and water over there in the cool box. You now have a warm box and a cool box and the chicks can choose where to go. My first thought with dying chicks is always overheating.............folks read they're supposed to be 90 degrees all the time and wind up frying the babies. When a chick is raised by a momma hen, they stay under her nice and toasty for the first day or so, then they're out from under her and in whatever temp the outside is, 40 degrees or 80 degrees. By the time they're a week old they spend very little time under her during the day, so they're not near that warm. Having the two boxes will allow them to self regulate the temperature, plus let them spread out and not pick on each other so much.
Buying from a feed store is not necessarily a safe bet. There are a lot of commingled baby chicks and they don't get the best care. Also I notice one of the pics of your chicks has a light spot on it's head. Sex-linked male chicks often have a white spot on their head. I have heard some people that sold all their baby cockerels to feed stores because the stores don't know the difference. Put some meds in the water for coccidioisis if you are losing chicks. Sav a chick is basically sugar water with electrolytes it will not be affective if you have a coccidiosis. Medicated chick starter is also a good idea. Coccidiosis will spread take the sickly chicks away from the healthy ones or the healthy ones can get sick too.
My barred rock pullet got a comb pretty quickly, I wouldn't worry too much about that yet. All of my pullets have them in fact now. I have some RIR's who developed them quick too. I would recommend to feed a medicated feed with your chicks. The feed store should sell chick starter in medicated or non medicated.
Thought I would let you all know the baby red one is doing much much better and I think its going to make it !
