first night they are okay

[ticks]

So this is my first time ever getting chickens. So this morning imagine my "surprise" when I went in and they were folded over sleeping. I started to panic I thought they were dead. but all 7 are alive. My RIR used to like being picked up and my Ameracauna hates to. I think my RIR pick up this idea. Yea they are wild little chicks ecspecially my Ameracauna.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Quote:
I was the same way the first couple nights that I had my chicks! It was just nerve racking!

I felt so responsible for them, still do. I guess that hasn't changed! LOL! As for the picking the chicks up thing. Just stick with it. Mine hated to be picked up as well. We just did it anyway and they soon found out that it was not as bad as they were thinking it was going to be! One person on here made a really good point to me when I was having problems with them being scared to get picked up. She told me to go into the brooder from the side and then pick them up. Predators come from the top, so the chicks have an automatic instinct to freek out, so to speak, when anything comes at them from the top. Try going in from the sides of the brooder. Mine were much calmer when I did that! Good luck with them and enjoy them every minute you can while they are fuzzy! The fuzzy stage doesn't last long.

 

[lurky]

I think we all went through that with out first chicks. In fact, there is a picture on mypetchicken.com that my daughter did on the dry erase board when we got our first chicks.

http://www.mypetchicken.com/We_have_ba-X114.aspx

 

[Texas Fluffy Feet]

lurky that drawing is too cute! You have a very talented daughter!

I agree on feeling so responsible for the chicks. I have raised MANY animals from tiny babies and have never fretted and worried as much as I have with these little boogers!I'm not sure I even stressed this much with my own human child. Mine may be in the coop before the weekend is out and I'm already having anxiety about that. MY DH has built the thing as secure as Fort Knox but I still am nervous about them being out of the house. Now I totally get the whole idea of chicken diapers and the house chicken thing.

 

[Gindee77]

Quote:
Hahaha, I remember freaking out thinking I had a bunch of dead chicks, at first too! I still crack up at my chicks (they're almost 4 weeks old) when they sleep all sprawled out in their bedding! Only the top dogs seem to get to use the perches. Yesterday when I went in the shed to check my chicks, they all hopped up to see what I was doing except my favorite ...she was all stretched out with her head out in front of her and she didn't wake up for the longest time! I was beginning to think she was dead just about the time she popped up too. I think she was just very comfortable and totally zoned out!!

Chicks are so much fun to watch and they do some funny things!

 

[ticks]

Yea I am kinda nervous for this weekend though, my parents are going to boston to run the marathon. Well my mom is I laugh when I think about my dad running. lol But anyway I have to go to my gradmas and the chicks have to stay home from sat.-tues. I'm nervous.