How should I do this?!? Chick trouble. 🐥🤷‍♀️

[MysteryChicken]

Hi y’all! I purchased 2 batches of chicks from McMurray Hatchery that were born a week apart. The chicks are in a 3 story brooder (Bantams on top which are from ideal and have nothing to do with this, older standards in the middle and younger standards on the bottom) and are all separated by batches. Today I mixed some of the standards and put some older ones on the bottom and some younger ones in the middle. I’m doing this because I don’t want to deal with introducing them to each other later in life after they’ve never met. This wouldn’t be a problem if we let them outside at 4-5 weeks (because it’s so hot here) but today I found a big chicken snake and I’m worried to put them outside at that young. They will be living in a chick-Shaw, because it’s portable, and I think a snake can fit through the wire as the floor, so I’m worried. Also, because it’s portable, they will have electric poultry wire that they can definitely fit through until they are a good at least 10-12 weeks.

Im at a loss. Do I continue to move them around daily or every other day in the brooder, or do I leave them in their own pens with the chicks there age? What age should I move them out to their chick-Shaw? How do I deal with the fence? What do I do?!? I really don’t know, any help is really greatly appreciated!!! Thank you for responding and answering any questions or giving any advice if you can.

Thanks again
-ChickenWhisperer101

How big are the gaps?

How old are the chicks.

I move my chicks out at around 6-8 weeks depending on outside temperatures. I don't introduce into a permanent flock until about 4½ months of age.

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

How big are the gaps?

How old are the chicks.

I move my chicks out at around 6-8 weeks depending on outside temperatures. I don't introduce into a permanent flock until about 4½ months of age.

Right now they are only 2 1/2 and 1 1/2 weeks old and the gaps are probably 1 inch. They won’t go outside permanently until at least 5-6 weeks old, but I’d rather wait longer. It’s the only mesh that I could find because everything was out of stock. I want to start taking them outside on field trips but I don’t know what the best age is to do that. I don’t currently have any bigger hens so I’m good in that area.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Right now they are only 2 1/2 and 1 1/2 weeks old and the gaps are probably 1 inch. They won’t go outside permanently until at least 5-6 weeks old, but I’d rather wait longer. It’s the only mesh that I could find because everything was out of stock. I want to start taking them outside on field trips but I don’t know what the best age is to do that. I don’t currently have any bigger hens so I’m good in that area.

Yeah, they are still pretty young to go outside. You can start introducing them to outside at about 3½ weeks for about 30 minutes to an hour every other day. I found this helps with feather growth.

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

Yeah, they are still pretty young to go outside. You can start introducing them to outside at about 3½ weeks for about 30 minutes to an hour every other day. I found this helps with feather growth.

Great! Thanks

 

[MysteryChicken]

Great! Thanks

You're welcome.

 

[Coops Dad]

In warm weather where nighttime temps stay above 60*, mine go outside at 3 weeks with a 100 watt heat bulb. I also use medicated feed to reduce coccidiosis likelihood.

 

[OKChickenGuy]

My other girls got coccidiosis in my old backyard though, so I don’t know if it’s a problem here or not.

Honestly, I had to look it up.....

From what I can tell though, where you (and your ladies n gents) live could be cause for exposure. But that "where" you live part isn't specific. As in, if I lived closer to the city, I wouldn't be any more or less prone to it than if I lived in the country.

There's an alphabet soup of potential hazards for our feathered friends. So far, other than 2 unexplained deaths, all of mine have been predator based and not biological. The 2 that passed with no known cause I have a feeling may have suffered from venomous snake bites. Something unless you get really lucky and either find the bite marks or witness it you'll never know. unfortunately I had 2 cats go in a similar manner. With roaming cats I can see maybe they went someplace they shouldn't have and got poisoned by a local farmer trying to kill rodents. But with the 2 girls going the same way, it was unlikely they both got into poison.... I don't have to say how sad I was. Maybe odd, but only 1 passed unattended....

So.... I wonder, did a vet advise you what they had? It would take lab testing to learn this information. Otherwise, it's just an educated guess. Me, I don't go for anything with a guess if it can kill.

In the end, all you can do is keep things clean, and if you bring ANY new critter into the fold you need to isolate them for a few weeks before co-mingling. Since this one usually gets spread by eating contaminated feces, keeping a clean space is the best plan. Unfortunately you cannot control any other flying friends from visiting unless you totally and completely lock the girls up....that's not living, and in the end won't necessarily protect them. EVERYthing fights to live, even if it's at the demise of another. Parasites included.

Sorry I can't offer any real form of help on this one, never having had to experience it.

Just remember, you can only protect the things you love so far, after that you need to know that nature takes care of things in its own ways and we're too small to prevent it.

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

Honestly, I had to look it up.....

From what I can tell though, where you (and your ladies n gents) live could be cause for exposure. But that "where" you live part isn't specific. As in, if I lived closer to the city, I wouldn't be any more or less prone to it than if I lived in the country.

There's an alphabet soup of potential hazards for our feathered friends. So far, other than 2 unexplained deaths, all of mine have been predator based and not biological. The 2 that passed with no known cause I have a feeling may have suffered from venomous snake bites. Something unless you get really lucky and either find the bite marks or witness it you'll never know. unfortunately I had 2 cats go in a similar manner. With roaming cats I can see maybe they went someplace they shouldn't have and got poisoned by a local farmer trying to kill rodents. But with the 2 girls going the same way, it was unlikely they both got into poison.... I don't have to say how sad I was. Maybe odd, but only 1 passed unattended....

So.... I wonder, did a vet advise you what they had? It would take lab testing to learn this information. Otherwise, it's just an educated guess. Me, I don't go for anything with a guess if it can kill.

In the end, all you can do is keep things clean, and if you bring ANY new critter into the fold you need to isolate them for a few weeks before co-mingling. Since this one usually gets spread by eating contaminated feces, keeping a clean space is the best plan. Unfortunately you cannot control any other flying friends from visiting unless you totally and completely lock the girls up....that's not living, and in the end won't necessarily protect them. EVERYthing fights to live, even if it's at the demise of another. Parasites included.

Sorry I can't offer any real form of help on this one, never having had to experience it.

Just remember, you can only protect the things you love so far, after that you need to know that nature takes care of things in its own ways and we're too small to prevent it.

Thanks for taking the time to right all of this and reply.

 

[ladybrasa]

As far as coccidia, if it’s out there, it’s out there. Options are treating if you see it (keeping in mind chicks can succumb fast), or feed medicated chick feed (amprolium) to stave off the potential for Coccidiosis.

As far as age, monitored forays out into the yard for a little bit should be okay at a few weeks old, in a little pen or something.

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

As far as coccidia, if it’s out there, it’s out there. Options are treating if you see it (keeping in mind chicks can succumb fast), or feed medicated chick feed (amprolium) to stave off the potential for Coccidiosis.

As far as age, monitored forays out into the yard for a little bit should be okay at a few weeks old, in a little pen or something.

So on the McMurray Hatchery shipping box it said “chicks vaccinated for coccidiosis, don’t feed medicated food as it will effect the vaccine”
Do I still feed them medicated food or continue non medicated?