First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[athomas718]

I wouldn't stress it too much I bet they'll grow into it. Mine would avoid treats like the plague until they got a bit older, now they eat just about anything ive put in there. Also I leave my apples whole and they just pick at them (you know since we are in that stage where the toddlers just want one bite from 4 different apples

).

We are at that stage too with our toddler! She sometimes leaves whole bags of apples one or two bites and then onto the counter deserted.



My chicks are becoming such a handful inside. I can't wait to get this coop ready for dwelling. Just have to put the flooring down and the deep litter and the roost bars, and then open the windows and put chicken wire up. *sigh* it sounds like a lot but I hope it isn't. They are getting too bit for their brooder and things are getting..... messy in our bathroom. LOL

I knew this "transition" phase would be hard. So I'm just anxious for it to be over. Probably another week or so. *sigh*

 

[harley587]

I never thought of doing that. Thanks, I will try it next time

I've been trying to talk myself into trying them on some live ones, but to be honest they really gross me out.

You need to start going fishing using the mealworms as bait!! You squeeze their little heads and then jab a hook through the sections of their head! After you do that a bunch of times, they no longer gross you out! The live ones come in boxes, you don't even have to touch them....better yet get live ones from a bait shop and you'll get a ton more for the same price as at a feed store.

 

[Sherloki]

I wouldn't stress it too much I bet they'll grow into it. Mine would avoid treats like the plague until they got a bit older, now they eat just about anything ive put in there. Also I leave my apples whole and they just pick at them (you know since we are in that stage where the toddlers just want one bite from 4 different apples

).

Yeah, mine are doing the same. Except for mealworms, that they love. They're actually afraid of watermelon though

 

[Dennicole]

Hi Everyone,

I am brand new to this forum as well as raising chickens. We moved into a home and inherited 2 hens that are living in our backyard. We decided in March to get 5 chicks. The chicks grew amazingly and we loved watching them grow. About a week ago we lost a chick while we were out of town so we didn't get to see any symptoms but our neighbor said she just couldn't walk properly and then lost the ability to hold her head up and she passed. We started doing some research and then all of a sudden 2 of our other chicks were walking funny and laying down a lot in a split like position. From my research, its seems like textbook Mareks. They still ate and drank as long as we brought the food and water to them. Two days later, Blackie died and yesterday our sweetest chick Golden Peach seemed to have paralysis in her wing and we found her dead this morning. So today we have one sick chick who has been sick for about a week and one healthy chick as well as the two healthy hens.

I love the idea of raising chicks but this has been a huge heartache to me and my family. The kids are devastated as well. Has anyone else gone through anything like this?

Thank you all!

 

[kekstrom]

Hi Everyone,

I am brand new to this forum as well as raising chickens. We moved into a home and inherited 2 hens that are living in our backyard. We decided in March to get 5 chicks. The chicks grew amazingly and we loved watching them grow. About a week ago we lost a chick while we were out of town so we didn't get to see any symptoms but our neighbor said she just couldn't walk properly and then lost the ability to hold her head up and she passed. We started doing some research and then all of a sudden 2 of our other chicks were walking funny and laying down a lot in a split like position. From my research, its seems like textbook Mareks. They still ate and drank as long as we brought the food and water to them. Two days later, Blackie died and yesterday our sweetest chick Golden Peach seemed to have paralysis in her wing and we found her dead this morning. So today we have one sick chick who has been sick for about a week and one healthy chick as well as the two healthy hens.

I love the idea of raising chicks but this has been a huge heartache to me and my family. The kids are devastated as well. Has anyone else gone through anything like this?

Thank you all!

So sorry for all you losses... its always hard to lose a chick. I have no experience with Mareks, but from what I have read, you are probably right about that being the cause. I hope you can find some answers and help!

 

[AmandaMBG]

Oh lol!! Ya I used plastic 1/4" mesh as my liner. So no cardboard at all.

The cardboard walls are taped together inside a kiddie pool. Pretty sure the geese were the jail-breakers and the ducks just followed along.

 

[harley587]

Hi Everyone,

I am brand new to this forum as well as raising chickens. We moved into a home and inherited 2 hens that are living in our backyard. We decided in March to get 5 chicks. The chicks grew amazingly and we loved watching them grow. About a week ago we lost a chick while we were out of town so we didn't get to see any symptoms but our neighbor said she just couldn't walk properly and then lost the ability to hold her head up and she passed. We started doing some research and then all of a sudden 2 of our other chicks were walking funny and laying down a lot in a split like position. From my research, its seems like textbook Mareks. They still ate and drank as long as we brought the food and water to them. Two days later, Blackie died and yesterday our sweetest chick Golden Peach seemed to have paralysis in her wing and we found her dead this morning. So today we have one sick chick who has been sick for about a week and one healthy chick as well as the two healthy hens.

I love the idea of raising chicks but this has been a huge heartache to me and my family. The kids are devastated as well. Has anyone else gone through anything like this?

Thank you all!

Dennicole. I'm so sorry about all your losses. A few things. Chicken math, within one year you'll have half your flock and you will always need to add more!! because chickens are like potato chips, you can never have just one. Next quarantine any sick chicks from the "healthy" ones. If you reside in the U.S., you should contact the USDA's Veterinary Service which offers a disease diagnostic service with a veterinarian, free of charge (1-866-536-7593). Also, biosecurity is very important. Not only does that mean clean, clean, clean, that includes quarantine of new chicks from your current flock. Always wash your hands when moving from one set of chickens to another set. We also do not take on any coops or equipment that was used by any other chickens that are/were not ours - if you do, you could be taking on illnesses from someone else's flock. We just would rather not take the risk. If you can, find a vet who can assist you. If I can think of anything else, I will update you.

 

[AmandaMBG]

It could be that the hens you already have have Merreks. If that is the case from what I have read about it there is no getting rid of it without culling your flock, stripping your home and yard of their things and disinfecting everything else. Then waiting for a while before getting any new birds. I don't see the point in even trying to do that as its not guaranteed to work. Did you vaccinate your new chicks for Merreks if not any future chicks should probably get the vaccine. It is supposed to prevent symptoms of Merreks from coming through. I agree I would get a necropsy done to confirm the reason for the deaths though. There are vitamin defenciences that can cause neck weakness and brooder conditions that can cause splayed legs in young chicks as well. I agree you should also not be handling your existing hens then your chicks with out washing up. Realistically chickens come along with dealing and handling death. They are such sensitive birds. I lost 5/30 chicks that I was raising this year. One ftt, one drowned in a chick waterer, one got an eye infection from being pecked, and two from healthy to lethargic in a day and died that night. Just comes with the territory of chicken keeping. You just can't get attached to them the same way you do your pet dogs and cats. It's more like keeping fish. Getting attached can lead to heart ache.

Sorry you had to deal with all that. It's why so many people recommend never getting chickens from a random place or any used chicken items. I've read so many different threads of people that have gone through what you are going through so you are not alone.

Hi Everyone,

I am brand new to this forum as well as raising chickens. We moved into a home and inherited 2 hens that are living in our backyard. We decided in March to get 5 chicks. The chicks grew amazingly and we loved watching them grow. About a week ago we lost a chick while we were out of town so we didn't get to see any symptoms but our neighbor said she just couldn't walk properly and then lost the ability to hold her head up and she passed. We started doing some research and then all of a sudden 2 of our other chicks were walking funny and laying down a lot in a split like position. From my research, its seems like textbook Mareks. They still ate and drank as long as we brought the food and water to them. Two days later, Blackie died and yesterday our sweetest chick Golden Peach seemed to have paralysis in her wing and we found her dead this morning. So today we have one sick chick who has been sick for about a week and one healthy chick as well as the two healthy hens.  

I love the idea of raising chicks but this has been a huge heartache to me and my family. The kids are devastated as well. Has anyone else gone through anything like this? 

Thank you all! 

 

[athomas718]

What do you think of these two BO chicks. Pullets? or is one a roo? They are 4 weeks old.



Possible Roo. Ariel.



The other BO. Not suspecting Roo, but for comparison. This is Belle.

 

[kekstrom]

What do you think of these two BO chicks. Pullets? or is one a roo? They are 4 weeks old.



Possible Roo. Ariel.



The other BO. Not suspecting Roo, but for comparison. This is Belle.

Comparing the two, the first would be your cockerel, and the second would be your pullet. Thats a fairly obvious difference in comb growth.

Here is my Lucy when she was 4 weeks old, and she is 99.9% a pullet (pending laying an egg...

)