- Feb 23, 2012
- 31
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Hello there : )
We are raising our very first chicks. Building our farm from the ground up; this is a huge dream come true.
Our 26 peeps arrived from McMurray on Tuesday: 6 Hampshires, 6 Buff Rocks, and 13 Red Stars; 1 roo of each and the rest little henlets. We had them vax'd for Marek's and Coccidiosis there at the hatchery.
Woke up Wednesday to a dead Buff Rock. Last night, lost a little Red Star. The Star's feet were a very pale yellow. My husband was dipping her beak in water, and the poor little thing threw up; have you ever heard of a chick throwing up? He thinks it might have been too much water; I don't know, but she was pretty floppy, though still peeping. She died within an hour of throwing up.
Today, I have one very listless chick that's down. Not much walking, pale yellow legs. There's another with the color draining out of her legs, too, although her nails still have a bit of orange in them; this one, however, is still really active, but if she follows the pattern, she'll be down on her legs tomorrow and gone by tomorrow night.
I met a chicken man at TSC today and he recommended the medicated feed anyway, because the vax doesn't always work, and they can get sick with other things that they weren't vax'd for. My mama worries got the better of me and I caved and gave them a bit of the medicated food this afternoon. Should I put them back on the unmedicated chick starter? Help!
I'm brand new at this, and although Hub grew up on a small farm, he doesn't know what's going on with these little ones. Anyone have any ideas? I'd love any help that you might have.
Thanks so much!
Jennifer
We are raising our very first chicks. Building our farm from the ground up; this is a huge dream come true.
Our 26 peeps arrived from McMurray on Tuesday: 6 Hampshires, 6 Buff Rocks, and 13 Red Stars; 1 roo of each and the rest little henlets. We had them vax'd for Marek's and Coccidiosis there at the hatchery.
Woke up Wednesday to a dead Buff Rock. Last night, lost a little Red Star. The Star's feet were a very pale yellow. My husband was dipping her beak in water, and the poor little thing threw up; have you ever heard of a chick throwing up? He thinks it might have been too much water; I don't know, but she was pretty floppy, though still peeping. She died within an hour of throwing up.
Today, I have one very listless chick that's down. Not much walking, pale yellow legs. There's another with the color draining out of her legs, too, although her nails still have a bit of orange in them; this one, however, is still really active, but if she follows the pattern, she'll be down on her legs tomorrow and gone by tomorrow night.
I met a chicken man at TSC today and he recommended the medicated feed anyway, because the vax doesn't always work, and they can get sick with other things that they weren't vax'd for. My mama worries got the better of me and I caved and gave them a bit of the medicated food this afternoon. Should I put them back on the unmedicated chick starter? Help!
I'm brand new at this, and although Hub grew up on a small farm, he doesn't know what's going on with these little ones. Anyone have any ideas? I'd love any help that you might have.
Thanks so much!
Jennifer
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