Incubators Anonymous

[Arielle]

Quote:

THe benefits of a warmer climate.

well, i'm not sure what you qualify as a warmer climate. well, anything south of massachusetts is warmer, yeah, but the chicks still got to romp in the snow and ice plenty. their house was a 2x3 doghouse, with a horse blanket draped over it and a 100 watt heat emitter running continuously, and a heated water bucket outside. so maybe we aren't exactly the frozen wasteland of the north (i'm from maine, so yeah i can say that. LOL) but it still qualifies as winter, unlike what you might find in florida or parts of texas... 14 years in maine, 12 years in south florida, and a couple in colorado, i'll stick with virginia. we have all the seasons, just not as extreme as the some other places.
Karen, thanks for the clarification. Clearly chicks are hardier than I gave them credit. Given shelter and sufficient warmth, they play in the ice and snow, and return for warming up. Sounds like some children I know!

 

[ki4got]

Karen, thanks for the clarification. Clearly chicks are hardier than I gave them credit. Given shelter and sufficient warmth, they play in the ice and snow, and return for warming up. Sounds like some children I know!

honestly i think they are hardier than people give them credit for. it was 62 this morning and ducky was outside with the 6 she has left banging at the door to get out. first thing they did was run down to the horse pasture to surf for cold bugs. LOL

 

[jandrusrn]

Good morning everyone... and happy FRIDAY, ARIELLE!!!! (we finally made it)

I have a huge question and am looking for some advice, shocking I know

Stanley (my little special needs chick) is 6 days old today and I'm becoming increasingly worried about her. We straightened out her toes, gave her Poly Vi Sol, and now am feeding her by hand while encouraging her to take food and water by herself. She is gaining weight but only very very very slightly. Mostly just maintaining.

Here's the real problem..... She is spending all her time either peeping so loudly we can hear it all throughout the house, standing in the corner, or when she's in the brooder with the "toddlers" from her hatch that are twice her size... she won't join in the flock activities. Sounds like Rudolph the red nosed reindeer.

Do I keep on keeping on? Do I continue with supervised visits with the bigger ones and hope for the best....gradually hoping that she catches on to chicken behavior? or...(gulp) get another chick from the feed store to teach her appropriate behavior? We really don't want to do that, but if that's what opinion is to do... we'll go for it. We'll be making the decision by Sunday.

I really value everyone's advice. Please lemme know! Thanks, Jane

 

[ki4got]

Good morning everyone... and happy FRIDAY, ARIELLE!!!! (we finally made it)
I have a huge question and am looking for some advice, shocking I know

Stanley (my little special needs chick) is 6 days old today and I'm becoming increasingly worried about her. We straightened out her toes, gave her Poly Vi Sol, and now am feeding her by hand while encouraging her to take food and water by herself. She is gaining weight but only very very very slightly. Mostly just maintaining.

Here's the real problem..... She is spending all her time either peeping so loudly we can hear it all throughout the house, standing in the corner, or when she's in the brooder with the "toddlers" from her hatch that are twice her size... she won't join in the flock activities. Sounds like Rudolph the red nosed reindeer.

Do I keep on keeping on? Do I continue with supervised visits with the bigger ones and hope for the best....gradually hoping that she catches on to chicken behavior? or...(gulp) get another chick from the feed store to teach her appropriate behavior? We really don't want to do that, but if that's what opinion is to do... we'll go for it. We'll be making the decision by Sunday.

I really value everyone's advice. Please lemme know! Thanks, Jane

good luck with her, but my experience with 'special needs' chicks, is typically they don't make it beyond a couple weeks old... the loud peeping is a sign of distress. either pain or discomfort of some sort. too cold, hungry, or something's just 'not right'... i had a dorking chick that was eating, growing, socializing, etc. but cried constantly. not sure why but found him gone a couple mornings ago. about 5 days old.

lost 2 barred rock chicks under the broody day before yesterday, but i know what happenned there. i started letting her out with them and i think they liked eating the gravel just a bit too much. you could feel their bellies full of the rocks they ate. i put them both down since they were declining rapidly and gravel impaction is not easily fixed.

and ducky's having a conniption today. i took her away from the babies so i could move some other chicks out to the pen. she's been circling and hollering for a couple hours now, but did take a break to go eat some stale bread. LOL a weakness of hers for sure. the older chicks are being friendly with the younger ones, so cross fingers they all settle in rapidly. the indoor brooder was getting crowded.

 

[Arielle]

Good morning everyone... and happy FRIDAY, ARIELLE!!!! (we finally made it)

I have a huge question and am looking for some advice, shocking I know

Stanley (my little special needs chick) is 6 days old today and I'm becoming increasingly worried about her. We straightened out her toes, gave her Poly Vi Sol, and now am feeding her by hand while encouraging her to take food and water by herself. She is gaining weight but only very very very slightly. Mostly just maintaining.

Here's the real problem..... She is spending all her time either peeping so loudly we can hear it all throughout the house, standing in the corner, or when she's in the brooder with the "toddlers" from her hatch that are twice her size... she won't join in the flock activities. Sounds like Rudolph the red nosed reindeer.

Do I keep on keeping on? Do I continue with supervised visits with the bigger ones and hope for the best....gradually hoping that she catches on to chicken behavior? or...(gulp) get another chick from the feed store to teach her appropriate behavior? We really don't want to do that, but if that's what opinion is to do... we'll go for it. We'll be making the decision by Sunday.

I really value everyone's advice. Please lemme know! Thanks, Jane

The fact that she is holding her weight is a plus. THe peeping means she needs something. Food, water, company. I never keep just one separated, always a buddy. Perhaps a small cage so she can see everyone, or move one good chick in with her. I prefer the latter because they cuddle together and the smaller chick gets the warmth of the other chick. Buying another chicks is just a hassle and unfortunately, the needy chick is not out of the woods yet. I have saved some, and lost some. Other ways to provide company than getting another chick.. If she can have a buddy that would save a lot of calories--that peeping uses energy.

Sorry a little jumbled--but you get the idea!!

 

[MaryRuthLangdon]

I am using the computer at work and see my DS is "Helping" (or is he guilting me?) me, and Gabrielle1976 is showing me how it's done. Hope we get Internet back at the house soon. DS says they have to fix the roof in order to fix the internet, since the dish sits on the roof. Detail, details, just fix it! No more power outages, we have back up now. I have already gotten 2 egg shipments in, one more on the way (I still have to replace the W/BW Am and the guineas, sigh). WHAT? Well I have to replace the ones that were in when the power went out , am I right? Some one tell me I'm right!! Otherwise of course I'd have been done for the season and I could have put the incubator up till fall. Now DS want a pet for the Grandson! What's wrong with the BJG that hatched the other day? They are nice and cuddly.

My button quail are cute "as a button".... I have eggs if you are interested... PM me.

 

[gabrielle1976]

awwww buttons are so cute when they hatch tiny tiny tiny

 

[Zootopia]

Yes, tiny, tiny , itty bitty, and very cute but not a great pet for a 3 yr old. They always reminded me of bumble bees. I think his Dad had a hands on pet in mind since the kids had pet chickens when they were little too.

 

[gabrielle1976]

No for a three year old you want something calm but thick and stocky . A orp maybe or a chochin?

 

[ki4got]

well on a good note, i may have lost my gold coturnix roo, but i've got 4 or 5 more in the 'bator that are growing (i think) and of the last 20 eggs set, 8 were fertile, hatched 7 gold and 1 brown. LOL so much for a 50/50 ratio. LOL lets just hope that they aren't all hens, or all roos. LOL golds i can deal with, i prefer that color in a roo. btw, if you didn't know, gold roo, brown hen = 50/50 gold and brown. or at least that's the probability LOL