Just an update on our first chicks

[homesteadmomma]

We brought home 8 chicks Saturday from Rural King. Most have agreed that the older 6 are Golden Comets and the younger 2 were bantams, possibly Sebrights. Unfortunately we lost one of the bantam chicks this afternoon. He had a pasty butt problem from the get go, but I had been cleaning him off a few times each day and finally clipped around the vent to keep them problem down. However, last night he acted very lethargic. Tried yogurt and egg yolk, but he just wouldn't touch the stuff. He drank but I never saw him eat. This morning he was pretty much lifeless. I watered him with a dropper, but he was just too far gone. The other bantam is doing very well, but I'm a little sad that he/she is by itself with 6 chicks much larger. So we are heading to Rural King again tonight to see if they have a chick similar in size for a buddy, might get three just in case another dies or something. The larger 6 chicks are doing quite well and have already started roosting on the side of the brooder at night, although they tend to knock down their waterer every time. Oddly enough they do hop back in the brooder in the night, and I have yet to have one running around in the living room yet. Although I'm quite sure it will be very soon. Everyone thought they were 6 pullets, but I have two that are starting to get red combs before the others, so they might have to be dinner. I cannot wait for the 25 barred rock chicks in April! We have already built a bigger brooder to welcome them home in, and I'm hoping by that time, the weather will be a bit warmer and they can stay in the shed outside. I also wanted to thank everyone for the great advice on this site. I'm sure without it, I would have had an earlier death from pasty butt and who knows what else. Thanks again!

 

[felidaet]

Just a word of caution if you are getting additional chicks. You should not mix chicks that are more than a couple of weeks different in age. The old ones can trample the young ones, especially if the young ones are very young. You will need to divide the brooder or setup a second brooder until the younger ones are several weeks old. I encountered this last year.

 

[homesteadmomma]

Luckily we have built the larger brooder (4x8) that has a spot for a divider. Right now the older 6 are approx. 2-3 weeks and will be moving to it very soon. The little lone Sebright does not have a buddy so it is staying in with them until we get some more its size. So far he stays out of the way quite well and only occasionally gets a foot stepped on. If we find buddies for him soon, they will stay in the smaller brooder in the living room while the bigger ones go out to the shed in the bigger brooder, and then hopefully by the time the new chicks come it will be plenty warm enough for them to be moved to the coop/run with a light on at night. That's the plan anyways, but it could be snowing, who knows?! Either way, the brooder in the house is plenty big enough for 25 little chicks for a couple weeks, and we can always build another big one if needed. But thank you for the advice. I love hearing these things before I have to learn the hard way.