Hello guys, I hope everyone is doing good. I can honestly say that I am on the verge of giving up on having chickens. I will give some info, because I am really confused, tired and unhappy.
I had about 11 mixed breed chicks, and fell in love with one of them. I basically got them because I was unable to find the breed of chickens that I wanted, so instead of waiting for the ones that I wanted, I got those. Well the one that I ended up falling in love with started getting picked on by everyother one in there. I did everything I could, but ended up having to put him down. I am a big guy, and throw people out of clubs for a living and am good at it, but I tell you what. I haven't cried that hard in a long time! I was so mad, I went to the computer and put the other 10 on craigslist in the free section and was done with them! Well I have moved on and have found the chicks that I wanted and now have a bunch of them and am happy.
Well now I have my new chicks and having some problems. I have a few that have had their feathers plucked off, mostly on their breast. I have gone and put this paste/liquid thing on them to stop this from continueing. I have also seperrated them so as to not get picked on somemore. Now they seem to pick at their own bodys though.
I thought that they be crowded in there wire cage that I had them in?so I moved them into their coop. They are not fully feathered, so in the morning when I go to check on them, they are all huddled together in a pile. It is so cute. I have read alot of the books to read and almost everything I can on the forums. I also understand that they will figure out a pecking order. They do seem alot happier in the coop. I am still building their final coop because bigger is better. Lol.
Like I said I am almost ready to give up. The reason I got chicks is cause I have a 17 month boy and want them to be used to being around people and not the skittish. He loves watching them right now whn they run around the little pen for them. I am almost ready to get rid of them and find some ones that are older.
Well I really don't know what to do?
Thank you everyone for your help.
Phillip
I had about 11 mixed breed chicks, and fell in love with one of them. I basically got them because I was unable to find the breed of chickens that I wanted, so instead of waiting for the ones that I wanted, I got those. Well the one that I ended up falling in love with started getting picked on by everyother one in there. I did everything I could, but ended up having to put him down. I am a big guy, and throw people out of clubs for a living and am good at it, but I tell you what. I haven't cried that hard in a long time! I was so mad, I went to the computer and put the other 10 on craigslist in the free section and was done with them! Well I have moved on and have found the chicks that I wanted and now have a bunch of them and am happy.
Well now I have my new chicks and having some problems. I have a few that have had their feathers plucked off, mostly on their breast. I have gone and put this paste/liquid thing on them to stop this from continueing. I have also seperrated them so as to not get picked on somemore. Now they seem to pick at their own bodys though.
I thought that they be crowded in there wire cage that I had them in?so I moved them into their coop. They are not fully feathered, so in the morning when I go to check on them, they are all huddled together in a pile. It is so cute. I have read alot of the books to read and almost everything I can on the forums. I also understand that they will figure out a pecking order. They do seem alot happier in the coop. I am still building their final coop because bigger is better. Lol.
Like I said I am almost ready to give up. The reason I got chicks is cause I have a 17 month boy and want them to be used to being around people and not the skittish. He loves watching them right now whn they run around the little pen for them. I am almost ready to get rid of them and find some ones that are older.
Well I really don't know what to do?
Thank you everyone for your help.
Phillip