My list of Raising Chick Neuroses

[guesswhatchickenbutt]

This is my 2nd time raising chicks and I thought it would be easier the 2nd time around. LOL.... how wrong I was. Apparently the first time around I researched the heck out of it and muddled through and my first three chicks made it into chickenhood just fine.

Here I am 3 years later and I'm on my 2nd lot of 3 little chicks and I seem to have forgotten everything I knew before. I stare at them like a crazed nutjob convinced I'm forgetting something or something's not right. Here's my list of things that I obsess about now that I'm raising these three little girls (two are almost one week old and one is about two weeks old).

Here is my list of chick neuroses

• I lost our thermometer so I have no idea what temp the brooder is running. They don't *seem* too hot or too cold, but I constantly worry I'm freezing them or cooking them.

• I bought 5 lbs of "by-the-pound-chick-starter" from the feed store. No clue if it's medicated. Obsessing about that now.

• Have a little australorp who peep-peep-peep-peep-peep-peep-peeps non-stop. It's like Edgar Allen Poe's beating heart story (remember the Tell Tale Heart? LOL). Even though she doesn't seem hot or cold and I've seen her eat and drink, I'm convinced something is wrong because all she does is peep-peep-peep-peep-peep-peep. No matter where I am in the house I can hear her. Peep. Peep.

• I bought one chick who's about a week or so older than the other 2. Is she eating more than them? Is she picking on them? Is she too hot?

• I forgot about feeding them treats. Oatmeal? Not cooked, dried - I think? Scrambled egg? Plain yogurt? No greens. Or maybe greens as long as it's a hunk o' grass from outside.... When can I give them? Now. I think now. Yes, now. Or not...

• Gah! What kind of poop was THAT? Refer to poop chart. Nothing on there looks like chick poo - all chicken poo. Husband catches me looking at poop chart. Thinks I've lost it. Distract him. Worried about runny orange poop I saw now.

• PEEP-PEEP-PEEP-PEEP-PEEP-PEEP-PEEP-PEEP-PEEP-PEEP-PEEP-PEEP! WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME?

• Crap. Have an upcoming short vacation. Need to find a chick sitter to take brooder. Must try to find friend without a cat, or at least with a fat lazy cat. Crap. All my friends have athletic-looking cats.

The funny thing is, normally I'm not a neurotic mess. But something about raising these tiny little chicks turns me into one - LOL. I've raised kids, fish, hamsters, puppies, kittens.... but it's the darned chicks that turn me into a worrywort!!

Anyone else slightly insane due to chick neuroses?

 

[janinepeters]

LOL! Yes, I have all these neuroses!!!! I've raised 4 or 5 or 6 batches now, can't recall exactly, and IT NEVER GETS BETTER. For the batch I got this past May, I was still getting up at least once in the middle of the night to check and make sure I wasn't cooking or freezing them. And during the day - well, my entire day revolves around them.

Like you, I am NOT an overprotective mother to my children, but with these delicate little chicks.....

 

[Melabella]

Guess What, you gave me a smile over my morning coffee! I can totally relate! I am trying to find out all I can about this whole process adn am guilty of some total stressing last night. We are the very proud protectors of 10 new 3 day old chicks that we received yesterday from Meyer! I have always dreamt of having my own chickens, and feel so responsible for their well being. I roared out loud when you mentioned distracting hubby, as I swear my husband of 25 years, (we have 4 children), looked at me frantically searching this website last night with that total look on nuerosis that he knows all too well! His eyes were saying "this is supposed to fun right?" all night. I realize I even passed some of it on to my sweet, innocent 10 year old daughter who after us losing power for no apparent reason here in Dutchess Co, NY, we had to move the entire brooder box into her room as our generator does not protect our barn where I had set up their lilttle area! She kept coming to me, "I think they are cold, I think they are hot, I haven't seen Maizy (she has named all 10 all ready), drink water the last 20 min! I am trying to take deep breaths,,and I am so thankful I have found this website, I'd be lost! Wish we were closer, I'd sit your brooder for you, twice the worry!

 

[Ben Rogers]

I've raised nearly 100 chicks to 3 weeks and 50 or so quail and never used a thermometer at all.

 

[Life is Good!]

Not to worry over 'peep-peep-peep'ing chick. Our three broodies hatched out 7 chicks. Two of the 7 are non-stop peepers. All day, all night, out in the yard, in the coop.......you can hear them constantly.

So how does Momma hen handle it? Ignores it - and sets them to bed early! (BTW, one of the non-stop peepers is a pullet. Can't tell on the other one yet!)

 

[CAjerseychick]

GWCB! you are hilarious! Of course I can totally relate! I am afraid of the 10 lb bag of Dumor chick starter I got b/c it doesnt say it is medicated -- mine are all on medicated feed(Purina, and something else that we used up) no illness related losses so far so think its working fine....No thermometer either, but they are 2 weeks now so appear to be comfortable-- my big neurosis is integrating the little 15 with the 4 older (6 week ) chicks we have-- they sort of ignore each other side by side in the run but I am afraid that they will be slaughtered in the coop at night, guess will do the fence off half the coop thing for the first couple of weeks..... ( I have a bunny waterer in the brooder and I can hear them peck peck pecking at it they love that shiny metal ball but not sure how much water they are actually gettting-- they have a back up waterer as well)....

 

[RonC]

Never used a thermometer myself. Just watched them to see how they were acting.

No worries on the 5 lbs of starter feed. You'll be buying more. Soon!

Get used to the peep, it doesn't stop unless they're sleeping. Sometimes it means there cold but have a warm spot for them and don't worry.

The older one should be eating more than the others. You would probably know if it was picking on the others, you probably watch them constantly like I did. Just heat one small area in the brooder,don't try to heat the whole brooder. They will move away from the light if too warm.

Mom would have them out chasing bugs and eating whatever she could find.Might wait another week to start with the treats and don't over do them. Mine love raw oatmeal and raisins, they all have different tastes. Offer them grit or access to dirt when they do start getting treats. All the things you mentioned are ok.

You get one of those smelly,runny peanut butter looking poops about once a day. It's normal. Looking at pics of poop I'm not so sure about!

peep peep already covered

Might have someone come by the house and take care of them there if everyone you know has cats. And put a lid on the brooder or you'll have chicks everywhere.

Relax and enjoy your babies, they won't stay like that for long. Glad mine are over that age.