fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[fuzzi]

Little Chick was attacked again today, worse, same spot on its head.

A friend of mine said it's time to separate the chicks from the flock. I'm trying to figure out a way, maybe just moving the nesting box under the A-frame roost, enclose it with plastic chicken wire fencing that I have on hand.

 

[NanaK]

I agree.

Do you have anything like Nutridrench? or a little sugar water? Just a little might help the little chick out.

 

[fuzzi]

Done. In the dark. Using my headlamp.

"Jury-rigged"

Nesting box installed, chick waterer added.

I'll go over it in the morning and adjust as necessary.

 

[fuzzi]

I agree.

Do you have anything like Nutridrench? or a little sugar water? Just a little might help the little chick out.

I have some electrolyte packets from last year, purchased for the first brood. I think I know where they are.

Can I carefully use a tiny syringe if Little Chick has trouble? I have a bunch of clean syringes I was given by the vet, no needles.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sorry that she was hurt again.
Separating them with Martha was a good idea.

You can give her drops of electrolytes, sugar water (1tsp sugar to 1 cup water) or something like Poultry Nutri-Drench if you need too.

Tiny syringes are very good to use. I usually push out 1 drop at a time, hold the drop against the beak and let it sort of roll around the edge of the beak, the chick will usually take the drop in. It's slow and tedious but will work.

Another method is dip a qtip in your electrolytes/sugar water, etc. Basically same concept, press the qtip lightly against the side of the beak to get a drop of liquid to roll out and let the chick take it in.

Were you providing multiple feed stations for the flock? Sometimes that can be helpful as well. I usually set up several if I have small chicks with the flock. The whole flock gets chick starter or all flock crumbles, that way feed is the same for everyone and it minimizes hogging/aggression over feed. Just make oyster shell available as usual.

Just a question - is Martha tending to Little Chick or is she ignoring her? Basically, checking to see if Mama may be rejecting her for some reason. That can happen. You will know soon enough.

 

[NanaK]

Yes, syringes work great. For a chick I just put a tiny drop at a time on the tip of the baby's beak and they smack it right down.

*** Warning...it is just too cute when they smack it down!

 

[fuzzi]

From Saturday

Heading out to play while Mom looks on

Martha and all five (one in nesting box)

The chicks quickly figured out how to access the big chick feeder!

Naptime!

Overhead view

 

[fuzzi]

Sorry that she was hurt again.
Separating them with Martha was a good idea.

You can give her drops of electrolytes, sugar water (1tsp sugar to 1 cup water) or something like Poultry Nutri-Drench if you need too.

Tiny syringes are very good to use. I usually push out 1 drop at a time, hold the drop against the beak and let it sort of roll around the edge of the beak, the chick will usually take the drop in. It's slow and tedious but will work.

Another method is dip a qtip in your electrolytes/sugar water, etc. Basically same concept, press the qtip lightly against the side of the beak to get a drop of liquid to roll out and let the chick take it in.

Were you providing multiple feed stations for the flock? Sometimes that can be helpful as well. I usually set up several if I have small chicks with the flock. The whole flock gets chick starter or all flock crumbles, that way feed is the same for everyone and it minimizes hogging/aggression over feed. Just make oyster shell available as usual.

Just a question - is Martha tending to Little Chick or is she ignoring her? Basically, checking to see if Mama may be rejecting her for some reason. That can happen. You will know soon enough.

I was tossing crumbles to the flock closer to the door, and at another area by the nests for the chicks.

I think Martha is having a hard time with five chicks, it is her first hatch. When she leaves the box they follow her but LC doesn't immediately follow, starts making urgent peeps. It does eventually come out with the others. When it's time for a warm up Martha calls them to the nest but they don't always come immediately. If LC is out in the run after the other chicks have gone into the box with Martha it stands there and peeps/cries. I'll put it in the box and Martha shifts to give it room to go underneath.

I don't see her as rejecting it, but it's the smallest, from the second hatch, and in two days since hatching it has been pecked on both sides of its head, hard enough to draw blood. I wonder if it's a little addled?

FYI: at one point this afternoon the chicks had just gone in the box with Martha, and LC was peeping incessantly though it was in with Momma. Samuel came over to see what was happening, went inside the adjacent box, and scratched around. Looking for the noisy chick?

 

[fuzzi]

I meant to add a funny!

Martha has had a habit of pecking my skirt if I have treats, to let me know I'm neglecting her. The last two days she has been coming over to me and grabbing and pulling my skirt. When I put a small pile of crumbles on the ground she heads over, calling her chicks. I think she's letting me know that some service is needed!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Could be a bit addled with a head peck.

Do you have any vitamin E or B-Complex on hand?

If possible give 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily to the chick. E will helps the neurological system, B1 in the B-Complex helps with the E. The other B vitamins in the complex help with supporting legs, tissues, etc.

Hopefully there will be no more problems and the chick will come around and be o.k.