Need some encouragement please!

[moehappyhens]

Hi all - I am pretty new to chickens and I need some encouragement. I feel like I have been faced with one challenge after another recently and I am getting discouraged. About 6 months ago I got my first flock of 6 hens. My sister gave them to me after she had to move. They were about one to one and a half years old at the time. Life was great. My husband build be a great coop/chicken run and the chickens were happy and laying eggs. I think three of them are moulting now because they quit laying about 2 months ago. Two of the moulting chickens lost some feathers, etc. The third moulting chicken is just mellow but no lost feathers. I checked for mites and didn't see any. They are happy otherwise. I was given a Black Australorp and a Buff Orpington by a friend who couldn't keep them. I got them a month ago and they were 4 months at the time.

When I introduced the two new chickens to my flock I took my time, did it at night as I read on BYC. Well, my buff cut her head open and had a gaping hole in the back of her neck/head. After a lot of TLC, meds and super gluing her head back together, she made a recovery and is doing great. The Black Australorp turned out to be a rooster so I am not sure if I will be able to keep him. Ever since the Buff got hurt, she is very flighty and doesn't mesh with my flock well. She is an outsider so I am not sure If I could keep her or find a home where she is happier.

It all went downhill when I wanted to add to my flock.

I got 5 chicks at 1 day old and they are now almost 8 weeks. They have been great, healthy and just started sleeping outside in a temp pen I built right next to my big coop. They were happy and healthy.

One of the chicks was a rooster chick so I went back to the breeder I got him from and traded him and ended up coming home with 6 more chicks about 5-6 weeks old to add to my small chick flock. Who could pass up silkies and a frizzle??? I kept them separate but had to combine with my other chicks to clean the pen, etc. Well, two of my older chicks started acting funny - puffed feathers, not wanting to walk around, not peeping, thin poop with a mucusy look and possible blood in it, etc. I did some research on here and talked to my sister (had chickens for 20 years) and now I am treating them for cocci. I got Sulmet yesterday and I am giving it to all 10 of my chicks. I am not treating my 8 hens because they have never been in the same coop, just next to them. The hens all seem fine. Should I be treating the older hens too?

I guess I just needed to vent, share my story and hopefully get some encouragement from all you pros out there. It gets better, right? I am just so worried about my chicks and don't want them to die from something that is preventable. Should I just give all the chicks back to the local breeder and start over with a new breeder? This morning is the first 24 hours of Sulmet and the three sick ones seem about the same - maybe 5% better. Is it a matter of time before the other chicks start acting sick even though they are on Sulmet?

Thanks for reading my story and allowing me to vent!! Any encouragement and help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[chickapeeps]

I don't think you need to treat the older hens. I had a similar problem with my younger chicks. The key is to make sure the chicks are actually ingesting the Sulmet. Mine were to the point of not drinking at all because it took me two days to get the Sulmet. The two that were just at the stage of the runny poops recovered very quickly. The other two took a little longer and I was holding my breath, but they came through just fine.

I think you took on a lot at once and so it's very overwhelming. I don't blame you a bit because my only self-restraint is whoever is with me when I go to the feed store in the summer months. I seriously don't go alone. They are very addicting and so darn cute!!!

So hang in there. At this point it's like having a bunch of kids and you just get to worry for a while and do the best you can.

 

[moehappyhens]

Thank you chickapeeps! It does make me feel better to know that you went through the same thing with your chicks and they came through. I have been watching them drink and even eat a little so I think that is my saving grace. I am still in the "holding my breath" phase like you said. I also am like you - I ca't control myself when I see all the chicks and all the different breeds. I always think, oh my gosh, I would love a gold laced wyndotte or a frizzle! I think I certainly have larned my lesson and won't be doing that again. I realy apprecaite your reply!!!

 

[chickapeeps]

If they are drinking and eating, that's a great sign

I have to go to the feed store today and I'm just praying they don't have any silkies that are too cute to pass up. I've always wanted one and no one wants to go with me. I will be good though just because we are in chicken drama central here. Can't they all just get along?!!

 

[jak2002003]

I think that introducing too many new chickens is causing you these problems.

Once you get them all healthy its best not to add any new ones. Every time we add new birds we run the risk of bringing diseases and pecking order problems into our previous flock.

If you can keep one rooster that will be good, as you will have fertile eggs and can let the hens hatch out more chicks whenever you need more chickens.

I am sure it will be OK for you in the end. I had very bad problems with my flock which I thought would never end and I was at the verge of giving them away.

1. They got scaly leg mites = many weeks of washing chicken feed and rubbing on petroleum jelly
2. Neighbours dog got into my garden and killed 2 hens = my other chickens flew away and it took over a week to get them all back!!!!!
3. Introduced 2 new chickens = they all caught FOWL POX.
4. After their slow recovery from fowl pox they then caught INFECTIOUS BRONCHITIS.
5. Broody hens chicks hatched = heartache as they got eaten by a predator bird, then a cat!
6. One hen broke her leg
7. Stupid silkie rooster (much loved pet) fell into my fish pond and drowned!

Thats it so far! At the moment everything has been fine for this month and i love them all again!

 

[moehappyhens]

Thank you jak2002003 and chickapeeps! Jak2002003, I would be a stress case if I had gone through everything you have been going through. Holy smokes!! I am happy to hear all is going well now. I do agree, I think I got too many chicks and stressed them all out. I am learning some big lessons and trust me, I won't be doing that again. Next time I need chicks (years down the road) I will buy them all at once and raise them together.

I just keep picturing about 3 months down the road when all my chickens are in the coop/run together and I can sit back a watch them. I can't wait for that.

Thank you again for your advice and encouragement! I do love my chickens and love having them. ;-)