I had a scary incident 2 days ago!

[mszekely]

My husband and I had 50 baby chicks in a container with lights until 2 days ago when we decided they needed more room. He decided we should tip the container over on its side so the chicks could step out into the full coop.

Well, that sounded good. But none of them were brave enough to go, and clumped up in the corner. So I started taking them out one at a time and putting them under the heat lamp near the food and water. As I got down to the end of the pile I found one little yellow head sticking out of the litter. The poor thing had gotten buried up to the neck! I picked it up, brushed it off, and sent it on its way, it was fine. I got down to the last 3 or 4 and saw a smashed black lump in the litter. I thought one of the chicks had gotten smashed in the pileup! I picked it up, and it popped back up to size like a little telescope that had been collapsed. The little darling is ok too, but just a note of caution, maybe pick them up one by one to start with.

 

[areyoumymother]

I did something very similar......

I had (14) 2week old chicks in a dog crate, the kind with the plastic bottom that comes out....

well, I thought I had a brilliant idea to take them outside on the grass and I would just easily slip that plastic bottom out from underneath the whole crew and still keep them in the cage so I could wash it down.....

when I lifted it up slightly they all huddled to the far end of the plastic tray bottom, then as I continued to tilt up the tray they scrambled to get up to the top...it was such a big comotion that I set the tray back down only to catch/pin the feet and legs of some of them between the tray and the wrungs of the cage walls......then all heck broke loose...screeching and flapping and mayhem broke out ....when the whole fiasco was over I managed to free all pinned legs and feet but a couple of them limped around a bit til the next day.....

My husband just shook his head saying "you just shook up their whole world by pulling the rug out from under them"

boy did I learn my lesson on shortcuts

 

[mszekely]

This is as bad as when I had my own kids! I don't really know what I'm doing, I hope it gets better as they get older, LOL!

 

[csummer8882]

We had an issue a few weeks back. We are brand new to chickens. This is out first attempt. My hubby thought we should put bricks on top of the 35 gallon tote to hold the wire on so the cats couldn't get in. Well, a brick fell in and landed on a chicks foot. Bleeding, bruised, a mess! We separated her for about a week till the scabbing was just about done. She didn't walk for 3 days. I was horrified that I hurt them!

Needless to say, they are all together and she is just fine! Walking, jumping, flying everywhere!

 

[CapricornFarm]

Yeah, it's a good thing chicks are resilient. I hate that we have to learn the hard way. My friend says moving chicks is like eating popcorn, you are bound to drop some.:-(

 

[hennyannie]

I pulled the chicken tractor across ones foot last year, she limped for a long time and had a crooked toe. I felt like a jerk. She recovered and is fine now.