Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I'm pretty sure Polish, especially from hatcheries, are just weak--and they are prone to wry neck, which sounds a lot like you're describing with 'unable to control its head'. I've never had Polish, so that's about all I can contribute there. I've heard that they and other crested breeds are prone to be victims of feather picking and didn't want to take the risk with some of the meanies in my flock. :/

As far as medicated feed, it is only a low-dose medication for coccidiosis to help the chicks build their immunity. I have never used medicated feed and would not recommend it. The cocci in your flock can become immune to the medicine used in it unless you switch to a different brand that uses a different medicine every once in a while, and it's easier just to expose your chicks to very dry dirt (preferably from your chicken yard or where your chickens have roamed) early in their lives to create an immunity.

 

[NanaLynn]

I'm pretty sure Polish, especially from hatcheries, are just weak--and they are prone to wry neck, which sounds a lot like you're describing with 'unable to control its head'. I've never had Polish, so that's about all I can contribute there. I've heard that they and other crested breeds are prone to be victims of feather picking and didn't want to take the risk with some of the meanies in my flock.

As far as medicated feed, it is only a low-dose medication for coccidiosis to help the chicks build their immunity. I have never used medicated feed and would not recommend it. The cocci in your flock can become immune to the medicine used in it unless you switch to a different brand that uses a different medicine every once in a while, and it's easier just to expose your chicks to very dry dirt (preferably from your chicken yard or where your chickens have roamed) early in their lives to create an immunity.

Pip - Do you get your chicks vaccinated from Meyers, I did last time, but I have heard that it is not needed. I guess it's for Marek's. I'm trying to decide if I should for these next ones or not.

I lied, I said I was waiting for awhile to get a polish, but I just added a Buff Laced Polish to my order, my daughter really wants a polish, so I gave in. I hope this one makes it to us okay.

So my BR, Oreo is enjoying catfood and eats a little each time I go out. She then decides I am annoying her and gets up and kind of does a half scoot half walk to the back of the cage she's in. She is moving so much more and can almost stay standing, so she looks better.

The BO, Big Mama, I'm still putting the food in her beak and she swallows it, it's not much. She's still pecking and walking around and getting on the roost at night. I keep expecting her to be gone each morning, but she's still here. She must be getting some food in her on her own, I just don't see her doing it. I wish she'd progress some more! Very frustrating!

 

[MsChickenMomma]

Pip - Do you get your chicks vaccinated from Meyers, I did last time, but I have heard that it is not needed. I guess it's for Marek's. I'm trying to decide if I should for these next ones or not. I lied, I said I was waiting for awhile to get a polish, but I just added a Buff Laced Polish to my order, my daughter really wants a polish, so I gave in. I hope this one makes it to us okay.

So my BR, Oreo is enjoying catfood and eats a little each time I go out. She then decides I am annoying her and gets up and kind of does a half scoot half walk to the back of the cage she's in. She is moving so much more and can almost stay standing, so she looks better. The BO, Big Mama, I'm still putting the food in her beak and she swallows it, it's not much. She's still pecking and walking around and getting on the roost at night. I keep expecting her to be gone each morning, but she's still here. She must be getting some food in her on her own, I just don't see her doing it. I wish she'd progress some more! Very frustrating!

I didn't get any of my girls from Meyer vaccinated. They are even in my adult chickens old coop (that I cleaned best I could) and they seem fine. It all depends on what you decide. I personally think the medicated feed and vaccinations aren't necessary, but that's my personal opinion. I'm glad Oreo and Big Mama seem better!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I don't vaccinate my chicks, but I honestly don't have any good reason beyond the fact that none of my older birds were vaccinated. There is a lot of conflicting info out there and it's so confusing that you just can't get a straight answer as to whether or not it's a good idea to vaccinate. The vaccination is for Marek's, which is an ugly one. It only prevents your birds from coming down with the disease, but they can still be exposed and become carriers.

 

[hogster160]

Pip - Do you get your chicks vaccinated from Meyers, I did last time, but I have heard that it is not needed. I guess it's for Marek's. I'm trying to decide if I should for these next ones or not.

I lied, I said I was waiting for awhile to get a polish, but I just added a Buff Laced Polish to my order, my daughter really wants a polish, so I gave in. I hope this one makes it to us okay.

So my BR, Oreo is enjoying catfood and eats a little each time I go out. She then decides I am annoying her and gets up and kind of does a half scoot half walk to the back of the cage she's in. She is moving so much more and can almost stay standing, so she looks better.

The BO, Big Mama, I'm still putting the food in her beak and she swallows it, it's not much. She's still pecking and walking around and getting on the roost at night. I keep expecting her to be gone each morning, but she's still here. She must be getting some food in her on her own, I just don't see her doing it. I wish she'd progress some more! Very frustrating!

Hi, I have read your story, and I am so sorry for the attack you had. I would like to share my story with you. We bought 9 chicks from Meyers, and we drove 4 hours to pick them up. I asked about getting them vaccinated. I was told since I had so few and never had chickens on my property that I should not have a problem. A month later we picked up 6 more from our local farm store. These chicks were also not vaccinated. Last week my ee girl came up lame. They are 5 months old now. Not eating, drinking well. I brought her inside and really started checking out my POL chicks. I have 2 that have ocular changes. Doing my research, my ee girl could have a couple of things going on. But the ocular change, that's merricks. You can pick it up anywhere and bring it home. Heck the wind can bring it home. This is my first time owning chickens, and we have merricks. Yes I say we because I take it with me where ever I go. If your other chickens are vaccinated, I would vaccinate the new ones too.

Hope all goes well for you and the new chicks.

Deb

 

[trsturself]

We don't vaccinate. Also I've read that you shouldn't vaccinate for cocci and then feed medicated feed because they cancel each other out. The medicine for cocci is not an antibiotic it's a thiamine blocker so I read that they can't build a resistance to it. We had good luck curing the wry neck in our other little unknown chick by giving her vitamin E (then she died as soon as she was better) but the polish didn't give us any time to do anything. By the time we found her she couldn't eat or drink.

I thought it was cocci but the corrid didn't help stop any deaths. I don't know if it's just the polish or something going on here. We've lost 4 out of 10 chicks that's weren't polish. I asked Meyer if they find the polish are fragile and she said no, she hadn't experienced that. She said the only breed she has found to be fragile are the salmon favorelles.

I hope your buff laced lives! We had 4 out of 7 of our buffs live, but we are selling/sold them all. We got a splash we didn't expect so it took the spot of the buff. I can't wait to buy a house with land in the next few years so we can have more than 8 chickens! Luckily we sold one of the buffs to a friend so we'll get to see her grow up.

Next time we'll figure out a new brooder and get our chicks locally so I can pick out the ones that look healthiest.

 

[BarredRockGirls]

My barred rock girls <3 and my oldest son . They are just lovers these days hahaha
I have 14 of them all 17-18 weeks

Lol lap chickens haha
Yay!!!! Today was the day!!!

First and only egg so far .. I'm so pumped I feel like it's Christmas!! Hahah

 

[hopefulpeeps]

My barred rock girls <3 and my oldest son . They are just lovers these days hahaha
I have 14 of them all 17-18 weeks

Lol lap chickens haha
Yay!!!! Today was the day!!!

First and only egg so far ..

I'm so pumped I feel like it's Christmas!! Hahah

Congrats on that egg!!! What pretty girls you have there!

 

[NotableNancy]

My barred rock girls <3 and my oldest son . They are just lovers these days hahaha
I have 14 of them all 17-18 weeks

Lol lap chickens haha
Yay!!!! Today was the day!!!

First and only egg so far ..

I'm so pumped I feel like it's Christmas!! Hahah

Woohoo!! An egg!!! And your son is adorable

Hopefully my BR won't be far behind yours... mine are 16 weeks old!

 

[trsturself]

No egg for us today but I noticed a real nice nest made in the nest box so hopefully tomorrow! I swear the BR's comb has grown a half inch in the last week.