MY CHICKENS ARE DYING....HELP!!!!!!

[57texas]

WELL THEY TOOK THE CHICKS AND SAID THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE THE SIZE THEY WERE... IT IS SAD THAT CHICKENS ARE BRED TO SUFFER LIKE THAT...OF COURSE THAT IS WHEN SOMEONE AS DUMB AS ME BUY THEM AND THEN DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO....THANKS AGAIN GUYS...THINK I WILL STICK WITH SOMETHING I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT...WE ARE RANCHERS SO MAYBE BABY CALVES...GRIN!!!!

 

[BeckyLa]

I'm so sorry this happened to you and your family! We have all made mistakes and learned from them But please don't give up on chickens! You have us now to help you. I think it's already been mentioned, but get some sex-link or orpington chicks and have fun! You've obviously learned how to take great care of chicks, look at the size and overall health of the ones you had as they were growing up. Or get some Easter Eggers and let the kids have the fun of hunting Easter eggs every day. Aw, please don't go away discouraged.....

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah! Don't give up. Get a few sexlinks or "laying" chickens. There are many people who start with the "big fat little ones" because they are so cute not knowing they are the meat bird. I'm sure they lived a much better life with you while they were alive than they would have at a meat farm. They had fresh air and you were keeping them as long term animals, not something that would be just on the table in 7 weeks... even though that is where they are headed. I think even if you eat an animal, they deserve a good life no matter how short. You did well. Stick around! If we decided to get a calf we'll have someone to go to!

 

[57texas]

PROBALLY WON'T GIVE UP BUT WILL TAKE A WHILE TO GET OVER THE DISAPOINTMENT... I HATED GOING OUT EACH MORNING TO SEE IF ANY MORE WERE SICK OR WORSE, DEAD. I WOULD LIKE TO TRY EASTER EGG CHICKS...NEVER HEARD OF THEM.....WOULD PROBALLY BE ALOT OF FUN..WHAT ARE THEY CALLED? AND HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT FINDING THEM? REALIZE WE ARE IN A SMALL COMMUNITY WITH ONLY THEY FAMOUS FEED STORE....MAYBE ORDER? WELL THANKS AGAIN, YOU MADE IT ALOT EASIER BECAUSE I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS DOING SOMETHING WRONG .

 

[silkiechicken]

Easter chicks are sold as Easter eggers, or ameracaunas(sp) at the feed stores. They are the green egg layers. Or you can order online by checking at various hatcheries. Don't get those dyed "easter chicks" though... as often those turn out to be meat birds too! We don't want that to happen again. If you want a variety, you can always get hatchery choice pullets and they will send a mix of various types to you!

 

[luvsmycritters]

sorry about your loss . i had that happen to me the first time i ever raised chickens . same thing nobody told me ,they were huge and than one after another they died off . so i feel your pain !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BeckyLa]

Here is an explanation of EE's from feathersite.com. Many of the hatcheries sell them as Auracanas or Americaunas but actually they are a crossbreed.

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Arau/BRKEaster.html

We got 25 this spring because they are so pretty and have such a great temperament. They lay eggs that are shades of blue, green, and sometimes even pink.

 

[lifelight]

Cornish cross are meat birds. You should find a processor and ready them for your freezer. How do you find a processor, what do you look for in the phone book? How do you make arrangements with one?

How do you deal with one? How about doing it yourself?