MJ's little flock

[RoyalChick]

Anyway, here are some cheerful chicks having a nice time yesterday afternoon.

They have proper little wings now.

I love the strength of the instinct to scratch for food - even when it is served up in a feeder!

 

[BDutch]

I find it is easy to offend and be offended on line.
There is no opportunity to react to non-verbal clues about how words come across or are intended.

You are all right. I enjoyed reading the wise words by visitors on this thread and MJ herself on this topic.

Just want to add another thought.
Imho, many people offend by ‘accident’ without the purpose to do so. Of course its important to be careful, choosing the right words if you want to be sure nothing comes across wrongly. On the other hand, don’t try too hard bc it would give many of us a writers block.

Most of us simply aren’t always that careful or just can’t because of limitations in language. I know Im not always careful, but do hope I didn’t offend people all across BYC. Please forgive my ignorance if I did.

 

[BDutch]

Love the daily posts with the videos of the chicks They grow so fast!

 

[MaryJanet]

They have proper little wings now.

I love the strength of the instinct to scratch for food - even when it is served up in a feeder!

I'm glad they spend their days on scratchable bedding now. I felt sorry for them when they were scratching at a towel.

The bedding is a washed, coarse sand, marketed as free from bacteria. It's picked up a lot of bacteria in the last few days from the poops! But at least it started out clean.

I'm delighted there have been no signs of health problems at all. I've been extremely strict on diet - crumble only for now - except for one moment when a Jacaranda flower tumbled in and the chicks decided it was a delicacy and initiated a chase. I think it was Toothy who managed to scoff it down. It was a comparatively huge flower. Twice as wide as the chick. That night I turned in expecting to see a dead chick in the morning, but they were fine.

Maybe belly aches and poopy bums will follow from their first day out in the run?

 

[MaryJanet]

You are all right. I enjoyed reading the wise words by visitors on this thread and MJ herself on this topic.

Just want to add another thought.
Imho, many people offend by ‘accident’ without the purpose to do so.

Yes, I'm sure that's right.

 

[Shadrach]

I'm glad they spend their days on scratchable bedding now. I felt sorry for them when they were scratching at a towel.

The bedding is a washed, coarse sand, marketed as free from bacteria. It's picked up a lot of bacteria in the last few days from the poops! But at least it started out clean.

I'm delighted there have been no signs of health problems at all. I've been extremely strict on diet - crumble only for now - except for one moment when a Jacaranda flower tumbled in and the chicks decided it was a delicacy and initiated a chase. I think it was Toothy who managed to scoff it down. It was a comparatively huge flower. Twice as wide as the chick. That night I turned in expecting to see a dead chick in the morning, but they were fine.

Maybe belly aches and poopy bums will follow from their first day out in the run?

They are bound to try out stuff that won't agree with them once they get onto natural ground. They should get this sorted out with watching what the adults eat.
One does need to watch out for pasty butt with chicks so a rear end check is a good idea. You'll see droppings stuck around their vent if pasty butt is a problem.

 

[MaryJanet]

They are bound to try out stuff that won't agree with them once they get onto natural ground. They should get this sorted out with watching what the adults eat.
One does need to watch out for pasty butt with chicks so a rear end check is a good idea. You'll see droppings stuck around their vent if pasty butt is a problem.

I was reading a gentle butt cleaning is the appropriate course of action. Is that what you'd do?

 

[Shadrach]

I was reading a gentle butt cleaning is the appropriate course of action. Is that what you'd do?

Yes, although I do it dry (finger nails ) which while not pleasant avoids soaking the chicks bum, something I am reluctant to do in any weather, and one has a better feel and can pull out the core, if there is one.
Obviously one has to be very gentle and it's one of the few times one might have to hold a chick in a grip, yet another thingI'm reluctant to do due to accidentally applying too much pressure in an attempt to keep the chick still.

 

[MaryJanet]

Yes, although I do it dry (finger nails ) which while not pleasant avoids soaking the chicks bum, something I am reluctant to do in any weather, and one has a better feel and can pull out the core, if there is one.
Obviously one has to be very gentle and it's one of the few times one might have to hold a chick in a grip, yet another thingI'm reluctant to do due to accidentally applying too much pressure in an attempt to keep the chick still.

Hopefully they won't get to the point of needing that much support.

 

[Shadrach]

The chicks look fine MJ, active, curious, eating and drinking.
How are you finding the coop now you've used it a bit?