First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[kekstrom]

I moved the chicks back in with the Queen Silvias--I had separated them after the first few chicks passed in case they were getting smothered. No deaths for past two days although a few EFGs have developed pasty butt, which wasn't an issue before. But I know how to treat that now that there is at least a symptom--the others were just found dead without warning.

Once they've grown a bit more, I will let GFF know the final count, etc.. They sent more than enough extras to make up for the ones that passed in the first 72 hours, which is all they were responsible for, and I'm certainly not complaining about them...just my luck with this breed.

Some just don't thrive. How many EFGs do you have left? And darn that pasty butt, I have had several chicks who just have it bad for a day or two. Hope all do well now!

 

[kekstrom]

I got around to taking some updated pics today, well at least of the chicks in the house.

Here are the younger babies, they are 2 weeks old:

Betty, BA.





Sophia. EE. (She was mid-cheep here... very unhappy to be taken away from her brooder mates!)





Izzie, CM.





And the older babies, they are now 3 weeks old:

Blanche, LB.




Mrs. McGillicuddy, GSL.


Dorothy, EE.


So far, I am still super happy about all our little chicks this go-round. Their personalities are all super great. Little Sophia, the younger of the two EE is the reigning alpha-chick. She is a force to be reckoned with. Betty (BA) and Blanche (LB) are probably the sweetest and enjoy being held the most. I am still taking them out daily for some time with me. And they wander around my kitchen floor following me as I clean up from their brooder to the trash can/sink area. Holding still for pictures, well thats just about impossible, hence my hand grasping them... most just want to hop down and go clean up crumbs off the floor. I have also brought them out for some outdoor time since the temps are warm enough during the day. They LOVE it!

 

[athomas718]

Made a rookie mistake but thankfully my chicks shouldn't be too bad off for it. I had been letting them outside for 15 minutes every other day starting Tuesday, but Thursday it seems was too cool breezy for them and one chilled and got a flora imbalance and pooped some lining. She isn't having any illness symptoms. Eating fine and everything. But from now on when I clean the brooder I will just let them be in the kitchen with me, not outside unless it's a still no breeze warm day.

The farmer I got them from said 7 weeks until they can be outside. We are in Maine and these are cold hearty breeds. Is 7 weeks the magic number? I was soooo looking forward to them being coop ready by 5, which would be in 2ish weeks. I want to do best for the chicks so really it's not a bother either way. I just feel bad having them cooped up in the brooder for 4 more weeks.

 

[kekstrom]

Made a rookie mistake but thankfully my chicks shouldn't be too bad off for it. I had been letting them outside for 15 minutes every other day starting Tuesday, but Thursday it seems was too cool breezy for them and one chilled and got a flora imbalance and pooped some lining. She isn't having any illness symptoms. Eating fine and everything. But from now on when I clean the brooder I will just let them be in the kitchen with me, not outside unless it's a still no breeze warm day.

The farmer I got them from said 7 weeks until they can be outside. We are in Maine and these are cold hearty breeds. Is 7 weeks the magic number? I was soooo looking forward to them being coop ready by 5, which would be in 2ish weeks. I want to do best for the chicks so really it's not a bother either way. I just feel bad having them cooped up in the brooder for 4 more weeks.

My first batch was out in the coop at 5 weeks. With temps in the high 30's/low 40's during the night, and mid 50's to mid 70's during the daytime. No extra heat source, and they are fine. We live in the high desert of Oregon, so its chilly here at night, and they did great. I just made sure my coop didn't have any drafts. I don't think there is any magic age... its more about what your setup can provide. There are members on here who brood outdoors from day 1, and would tell you that 5 weeks would be fine if you have the right setup for them to get away from drafts. My chickies were just outside, with the warm sun on half their little space, and shade on the other half. They frolicked around, happily, and would stop to cuddle up in the sunshine when they needed warmth.

 

[kekstrom]

I have heard from chicken owners and read on here about chickens and blood..... Ya'll weren't kidding'!!!!!! Blanche, my LB, was flying up out of her brooder today, back down, and out again, and somewhere in that little rendezvous, she tore part of her toenail, causing the slightest amount of blood to come out. The others went after her like seagulls to an abandoned picnic.

It was chaos, but luckily I was right there to swoop in and grab her. I isolated her until there was no more blood, and then made sure the others were done trying to attack her.

Whew.

Hope that doesn't ever happen again when I am not around!

 

[Blondie1026]

Can anyone tell me what breeds these are, the one I think is a lavender Orpington is hard to see.

 

[Jensownzoo]

Some just don't thrive.  How many EFGs do you have left?  And darn that pasty butt, I have had several chicks who just have it bad for a day or two.  Hope all do well now!

6-8 left...not sure about exact # as I started with 18 so it was too disheartening for a headcount. Starting to feel like a safety officer...it's been 2.5 days and no deaths...

As a comparison, I lost only 2 of the Queen Silvias and one of those was DOA. The second developed PB overnight and was gone by morning.

In sort of happy news, a shipment of goslings and keets that I had canceled showed up unexpectedly yesterday afternoon when I was out of cell contact. The PO finally left them on the front porch, and I came home to them about 10pm. Had to grab the box and turn right back around since all my poultry supplies are now out at my work property (rural location). Grabbed two more heating pads from Walmart and hastily constructed two new brooders with MHPs. They are doing great! And the new keets are adorable. I already have 6 pearl guineas that are free ranging with the older chicks, but this group included royal purple, lavender, and pearl so the keets have the cutest markings! I will try to get pics tomorrow.

 

[Blooie]

My first batch was out in the coop at 5 weeks. With temps in the high 30's/low 40's during the night, and mid 50's to mid 70's during the daytime. No extra heat source, and they are fine. We live in the high desert of Oregon, so its chilly here at night, and they did great. I just made sure my coop didn't have any drafts. I don't think there is any magic age... its more about what your setup can provide. There are members on here who brood outdoors from day 1, and would tell you that 5 weeks would be fine if you have the right setup for them to get away from drafts. My chickies were just outside, with the warm sun on half their little space, and shade on the other half. They frolicked around, happily, and would stop to cuddle up in the sunshine when they needed warmth.

x2 Mine were out in our still unfinished, unheated, uninsulated coop at 5.5 weeks. I'm up in Northern Wyoming and temps were cold when they went out. That was on April 1, and we didn't get our last snowfall until June 6th. That was the year I discovered that these are not the delicate little Divas we think they are. They did great. Since that year, I now brood outdoors from the start, even with temps in the teens and twenties. This year the 3 first chicks I hatched were out in the outdoor brooder less than 24 hours after hatching. I now have a group of one week olds out there, and have 7 one week old Silkies we hatched here that went out today. Only kept them in as long as I did because they were still pretty small.

 

[kekstrom]

x2 Mine were out in our still unfinished, unheated, uninsulated coop at 5.5 weeks. I'm up in Northern Wyoming and temps were cold when they went out. That was on April 1, and we didn't get our last snowfall until June 6th. That was the year I discovered that these are not the delicate little Divas we think they are. They did great. Since that year, I now brood outdoors from the start, even with temps in the teens and twenties. This year the 3 first chicks I hatched were out in the outdoor brooder less than 24 hours after hatching. I now have a group of one week olds out there, and have 7 one week old Silkies we hatched here that went out today. Only kept them in as long as I did because they were still pretty small.

Blooie, I was thinking of you when I wrote that too! Glad you chimed in... ^^^^^ wealth of knowledge and experience right here people!

 

[Blooie]

Blooie, I was thinking of you when I wrote that too! Glad you chimed in... ^^^^^ wealth of knowledge and experience right here people!

Whoa......still a beginner here and still learning every single day!! I just happened to get lucky and ended up with the likes of Beekissed, Lazy Gardener (and so many others) who have been doing this a lot longer than I have as mentors, along with so many others! And along the way I figured out that chicken raising is 10% book learning and 90% common sense. But I do thank you for the confidence.