- Apr 4, 2011
- 1
- 0
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Hi All!
I must first thank you for all your infomation on keeping chickens.
Our boys have been bugging us to have pets for some time. We have a 9 and a 4 yr. old.
After going through the list of pets (dogs, cats, guinea pigs, fish, etc.), chickens came to mind. My
grandparents had chickens on thier ranch and my cousin still has a small flock. I remember them to be reasonably self directed, and
fun creatures of habit. We dont have to keep them inside the house like other pets, and after reading on this forum
how to care for them, we decided on 4-day old Ameraucanas/EE's.
The boys loved setting up the brooder, feeder and waterer, and got real excited when the day came to pick up the baby chicks. It
was rainy and cold the morning we went pick them up. We made sure we had a warm pack to keep them warm for the half hour drive home.
Once we got them settled in the brooder, the little chicks crashed like little fur ball dots, a sight most of you are already familiar with.
I began to think of what the little creatures had gone through the last couple days, and I don't blame them one bit for falling flat on thier faces.
First issue we faced was pasty butt, and for a week we were checking out our chicks butts! Egg yolk, probiotics, and warm water saw us
through that, thanks again for your information on this topic. We then noticed our most friendly little girl had a crooked beak. She was originally
third largest out of the 4, but soon became the lightest of them. I didn't know how concerned I should be until searching on this forum.
Since we intend them to be pets we decided to keep her in the best health possible. We began feeding her mash, deep dish style, and
she now comes running every time we walk out the door with a jar of mash. Her name is Gingy. Here's a link to a short video of our chicks
gobbling mash. Gingy is the one who doesn't leave the dish. There is a good shot of her crooked beak.
(www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVTp6FVf7SY)
The chicks are now 6 weeks old in an outdoor brooder. My boys love their new pets! I've been especially proud of my 9 year old, in the way he
takes on the responsibility of caring for the chicks. He's been right beside me learning and involved in every aspect of their care and playing with them
every day!
I just want you to know that your information is going to good use!
You all have really made this quite enjoyable and rewarding for our whole family!
SurfinChicken
I must first thank you for all your infomation on keeping chickens.
Our boys have been bugging us to have pets for some time. We have a 9 and a 4 yr. old.
After going through the list of pets (dogs, cats, guinea pigs, fish, etc.), chickens came to mind. My
grandparents had chickens on thier ranch and my cousin still has a small flock. I remember them to be reasonably self directed, and
fun creatures of habit. We dont have to keep them inside the house like other pets, and after reading on this forum
how to care for them, we decided on 4-day old Ameraucanas/EE's.
The boys loved setting up the brooder, feeder and waterer, and got real excited when the day came to pick up the baby chicks. It
was rainy and cold the morning we went pick them up. We made sure we had a warm pack to keep them warm for the half hour drive home.
Once we got them settled in the brooder, the little chicks crashed like little fur ball dots, a sight most of you are already familiar with.
I began to think of what the little creatures had gone through the last couple days, and I don't blame them one bit for falling flat on thier faces.
First issue we faced was pasty butt, and for a week we were checking out our chicks butts! Egg yolk, probiotics, and warm water saw us
through that, thanks again for your information on this topic. We then noticed our most friendly little girl had a crooked beak. She was originally
third largest out of the 4, but soon became the lightest of them. I didn't know how concerned I should be until searching on this forum.
Since we intend them to be pets we decided to keep her in the best health possible. We began feeding her mash, deep dish style, and
she now comes running every time we walk out the door with a jar of mash. Her name is Gingy. Here's a link to a short video of our chicks
gobbling mash. Gingy is the one who doesn't leave the dish. There is a good shot of her crooked beak.
(www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVTp6FVf7SY)
The chicks are now 6 weeks old in an outdoor brooder. My boys love their new pets! I've been especially proud of my 9 year old, in the way he
takes on the responsibility of caring for the chicks. He's been right beside me learning and involved in every aspect of their care and playing with them
every day!
I just want you to know that your information is going to good use!
You all have really made this quite enjoyable and rewarding for our whole family!
SurfinChicken
