Got new chicks, first time from the mail! :O Story inside

[2ndTink]

I'm sorry it didn't make it. It likely had something developmentally wrong with it, you did exactly what I would have done with the Nutri-drench.

I start mine on a heat lamp, but with all the others doing well and it being warm weather, I'm leaning that it wasn't 100% normal internally.

 

[Elspeth Dinsmore]

Unfortunately the little one did not make it

The other weak one did and is doing well. Fingers crossed.

Oh, no. I'm so sorry. That must be so tough.

 

[thistlewick]

I'm sorry it didn't make it. It likely had something developmentally wrong with it, you did exactly what I would have done with the Nutri-drench.

I start mine on a heat lamp, but with all the others doing well and it being warm weather, I'm leaning that it wasn't 100% normal internally.

It was *extremely* small compared to the other chicks. I never got a comparison shot but it was even half the size of one of its "clutchmates" which I assume hatch on the same day or so.

The post office where I picked it up (and where it had been since 4am and I did not receive a call until 9am) was FREEZING with AC. I can only imagine that did not help a single thing.

Oh, no. I'm so sorry. That must be so tough.

Yeah, it is never easy losing anything you care for, even briefly. Thanks for the kind words

 

[2ndTink]

It was *extremely* small compared to the other chicks. I never got a comparison shot but it was even half the size of one of its "clutchmates" which I assume hatch on the same day or so.

The post office where I picked it up (and where it had been since 4am and I did not receive a call until 9am) was FREEZING with AC. I can only imagine that did not help a single thing.


Yeah, it is never easy losing anything you care for, even briefly. Thanks for the kind words

The 5 hours in the cold I'm sure didn't help, but it's a bit hit and miss getting the tiny ones to pull through even with perfect conditions.

It's so easy to get attached to chicks, especially ones you are routing for to survive.

 

[thistlewick]

So things are going well after the loss of the tiniest Black Copper Maran. The little buff Orpington is sassy and has really recovered. We have another TINY Black Copper Maran but this one never showed any issues, was always pert and alert and active.

https://imgur.com/CaXkduS

I used Clipchamp to make this video today, sorry if the inset frame is weird, I was playing around with the AI editor LOL

Also, this is a FRESHLY clean brooder, omg, it is never this clean -- that plate is usually covered in poop!!

Here is the TINY tiny tiny Maran chick:

She is enjoying the grass here right after I filmed -- but man she is small, but mighty! She seems to know she's tiny so when things get bombastic she backs off and retreats, but she always comes back and investigates or gets close into the fray when it's calmer. She's smart! She is SO SMALL though, if she comes through, I'm going to name her Tillie, like the Little Engine That Could <3

 

[thistlewick]

I should give a little shout out to the Blue Laced Red Wyandotte girl that we got on the same day as the Marans and Buff Orpington. She's never been anything but fantastic and has been part of the bunch immediately. She's braw and hearty and is doing well.

None of the new chicks have names but two;

Georgina, giving me the side eye. But we named her that after she is just like Curious George. ALWAYS peeping up at us when we visit.

and

Pepper, because look at her head.. LOL

 

[The Coop Crew]

So, long story short, I wanted to expand my first flock from 13 to 20. Made plans to go to my local Tractor Supply and get 7 chicks but in my research, they don't sell all the breeds I wanted. So I needed to order chicks for the first time. Scary!!

I did get 4 chicks from my local Tractor Supply -- 2 Americaunas and 2 Silver Laced Black Wyandottes. They are 1 week old yesterday.

When my chick order from Mt. Healthy Hatchery came in! I chose Mt. Healthy because of the excellent reviews I read here about them and also because of the fact that they were the closest hatchery to me. Ohio to North Carolina is an ~8 hour drive. I knew they'd arrive the next day. And so they did.

The local post office forgot to call me at 8am, and called me at 9am - I had been up and waiting since 6am (lol) so we rushed down there and picked them up.

The guy who handed it over couldn't help peeking (there were peeping sounds coming from the box) and said "oooh it looks like 2 didn't make it" and handed me the box. My husband and I were like, prepared for that, but still just kinda walked to the car steeling ourselves to look inside once we got in the warm car (the post office was FREEZING cold with AC).

We opened the box and sure enough, one was on its side, neck splayed back and looked to all appearances to be dead. One was beak down, wings out but if you pet it, would move a little bit. So I told my husband to hold that one in his hand on the drive home and cradle it for warmth. I ordered 4, 2 French Black Copper Marans, 1 Buff Orpington and 1 Red Laced Blue Wyandotte. They sent an extra French Black Copper Maran. The one that looked to be already gone. It was the little Buff Orpington who was shaky, wobbly and cold. My husband did spy that the one on it's side "might" be breathing.


About 15 minute drive home and hubby was cradling the little one. The other chicks all surrounded his hand in the box for warmth. He was beaming <3 He loved every second of it. I was making a plan for what we were going to do when we got home. I ordered a vitamin pack from the Hatchery that came in the box so had to make that.

When we got home I went to take this pic and then spy on the one on it's side. It was in fact breathing!!!!!

View attachment 3875549We got home and I put the box in the brooder, took out the 3 active and healthy chicks and set them under the brooder plate and put the little Buff Orpington in the choicest, warmest spot under there too. I picked up the one that was on it's side and it had more signs of life that I could have possibly imagined. I needed to make the vitamin water and nutri-drench stat! So I put the little sweetling in my husband's hands to warm.

View attachment 3875550

Don't worry, he cradled and cupped it after this pic to keep it toasty.

I had a whole anxiety attack (not really, exaggeration there lol) about the math related to dilution. WHO THE HECK MAKES 128 gallons of something?! I'm not an industrial farm here, JEEZ help a lady out. And I cannot do math when I am trying to SAVE A LIFE okay?!

Anyway, neded up calling Mt. Healthy hatchery for dilution (they were SO NICE) and made both the Vi-Tal and the Nutri-Drench (Nutri-Drench is much easier)

Everyone who has experience with this stuff already knows this but I didn't. THIS STUFF IS MAGIC GUYS.
View attachment 3875551That little Maran chick was nearly dead. And today she is not.

We gave out some to all the chicks, with extra special full doses (1ml each, twice, hours apart) to the little Buff Orpington and the tiny Maran. They fought. They fought to live.

They aren't out of the woods necessarily -- I've read the stories of chicks just dropping dead overnight. But this first night, they made it. They are mingling with the other chicks, eating and drinking and pooping. I am *amazed* and did NOT realize that would be so rewarding.

I am not going to even pretend that I am not absolutely more in love with those two I had to nurse to liveliness than the others. Is that awful of me?! It got my motherly instincts going and gosh, I'm protective over them. lol

I'm trying hard not to dote on them like pets. These are just egg laying ladies for us and will be free ranging on our pastures but dang if I don't love them all anyway.

So now our flock will be 22

I can keep this thread updated with their progress.

View attachment 3875566

Okay but are they really not your pets?! Come on I also have a special needs lady who is my favorite..but don’t tell the others

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Beautiful! I would just add that if they are eating the grass they need chick grit, and in fact ... not sure I would put grass in there at all at this age. I'm a worrywart tbh and I would worry about long strands of grass blocking the crop. After they've had access to chick grit, I start mine on dried mealworms, they LOVE them. It's what I use to teach them to come to my voice. But always remember to keep treats to a minimum, mostly they need their chick starter for balanced nutrition.

They're adorable, enjoy!

 

[The Coop Crew]

I should give a little shout out to the Blue Laced Red Wyandotte girl that we got on the same day as the Marans and Buff Orpington. She's never been anything but fantastic and has been part of the bunch immediately. She's braw and hearty and is doing well.

View attachment 3878539

None of the new chicks have names but two;

View attachment 3878537

Georgina, giving me the side eye. But we named her that after she is just like Curious George. ALWAYS peeping up at us when we visit.

and View attachment 3878538

Pepper, because look at her head.. LOL

These little babes are just so sweet

 

[thistlewick]

Okay but are they really not your pets?! Come on I also have a special needs lady who is my favorite..but don’t tell the others

Right?! I mean, I LOVE THEM ALL, my older girls, they melt my heart when I go outside and they see its me they all come RUNNING and how could I not LOVE them for that. I go and sit with them a little bit almost every day and honestly, they are the best.


I think, though, if I thought of them as pets (like my ragdoll Cat) I'd end up cooping them instead of free-ranging, because of the safety... but I am determined to free-range because they will be part of our pasturing system. Rotational grazing, etc.

So while I LOVE them dearly, I may indeed lose some along the way as we go and I am just going to have to deal with that when and if it happens. I'll be okay!