- May 2, 2013
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Hi BYC!
Long time lurker, first time poster here - and a hopeless chicken noob, you've been warned.
I bought three chicks six weeks ago from a backyard breeder. One silver-laced Wyandotte (named Nugget, will explain) , one BO named Choco, and one supposed Australorp (named Loco, will also explain) but now we're not so sure.
Nugget is about three weeks behind the other two in age - this has been pretty challenging, and in raising them so far we've just gone with what we thought was best for the lowest common denominator. They lived in a big cardboard box with a lamp and shavings with chick starter for the first four weeks - we noticed Nugget, the youngest, wasn't growing at all (hence her name as she is tiny in comparison).
Choco, the buff, is a giant dinosaur and is definitely queen of the flock - she chases the other ones around and steps on them sometimes, but doesn't peck them.
Loco is inexplicably scared of everything, especially people, and constantly croons this warning sound as if the world is ending - we can barely get close enough to her with mealworms.
So our motley crew of chickens finally made it out to the coop two weeks ago, and we discovered two things: one, they were covered in poultry lice (didn't notice until we got them out in bright sunlight , maybe that's why Nugget wasn't growing?) and two: the daft birds have no instinct.
They don't roost on their roosting pole, they can't figure out the ramp to go to the run, they don't dust bathe, and they don't go inside at night - I find them snuggled together in the corner of the run and mother hen has to climb in there, pick them up and put them in the coop.
Because of the little one I had been keeping their lamp on in the coop at night - did I mess up their circadian rythms or something?
I started feeding them chick grower and electrolytes last week and Nugget has grown more this week than she has ever, so I still have hope for her.
Besides their lack of instincts, the only other thing that worries me is the poop in their coop and on the ground usually looks solid and normal, but when they poop in front of us it's usually yellow and watery - all three chickens. It's this normal? They all are alert and eat well.
I'd love any insight or advice - are my weird little birdies OK or can I help them?
Thank you!!
Long time lurker, first time poster here - and a hopeless chicken noob, you've been warned.
I bought three chicks six weeks ago from a backyard breeder. One silver-laced Wyandotte (named Nugget, will explain) , one BO named Choco, and one supposed Australorp (named Loco, will also explain) but now we're not so sure.
Nugget is about three weeks behind the other two in age - this has been pretty challenging, and in raising them so far we've just gone with what we thought was best for the lowest common denominator. They lived in a big cardboard box with a lamp and shavings with chick starter for the first four weeks - we noticed Nugget, the youngest, wasn't growing at all (hence her name as she is tiny in comparison).
Choco, the buff, is a giant dinosaur and is definitely queen of the flock - she chases the other ones around and steps on them sometimes, but doesn't peck them.
Loco is inexplicably scared of everything, especially people, and constantly croons this warning sound as if the world is ending - we can barely get close enough to her with mealworms.
So our motley crew of chickens finally made it out to the coop two weeks ago, and we discovered two things: one, they were covered in poultry lice (didn't notice until we got them out in bright sunlight , maybe that's why Nugget wasn't growing?) and two: the daft birds have no instinct.
They don't roost on their roosting pole, they can't figure out the ramp to go to the run, they don't dust bathe, and they don't go inside at night - I find them snuggled together in the corner of the run and mother hen has to climb in there, pick them up and put them in the coop.
Because of the little one I had been keeping their lamp on in the coop at night - did I mess up their circadian rythms or something?
I started feeding them chick grower and electrolytes last week and Nugget has grown more this week than she has ever, so I still have hope for her.
Besides their lack of instincts, the only other thing that worries me is the poop in their coop and on the ground usually looks solid and normal, but when they poop in front of us it's usually yellow and watery - all three chickens. It's this normal? They all are alert and eat well.
I'd love any insight or advice - are my weird little birdies OK or can I help them?
Thank you!!
