new chicks advise needed please

[honeypie44]

I need help with a premature chick. It was cracked so I didn't know what to do so I removed the shell. I've learned my lesson. My chick made it through the night now giving it protein water. He's alert but not standing just wobbling. Chirping some. What else can I do? Have him in a heated box. How often do I give him water?

 

[Half a dozen]

My chicks are vaccinated and have had their booster just before they came to me. They were barn raised in batches of same size breeds and age. My breeder only gives heat till 1 week old in the summer. So they have had no heat for 2 weeks. I don't think they're to hot as they sit fluffed up or together in the corner when having a nap. I'm going to get my other half to set up the coop after work today or tomorrow and get started on the heat pad or heat lamp securing. I have them out of the box for hrs during the day running around my living room with us (supervised) making a mess and pecking things so they aren't stuck in the box. They mainly only spend the night and maybe a cpl hrs in the box. I have hard wood floors so I just clean up the poo and mop the floor with antibacterial soap and bleach after they go on it with poo etc then mop it with fresh water. today they went on the grass while it was sunny and they enjoyed that. I'm just worried about the little one who seems weaker and not so sturdy.

 

[jenxsawyer]

Hi, I have a heat pad which is 15 inches long by 12inches wide. Will this surffice for in the coop for my 3? My birds aren't fond of anything other than the starter feed apart from a garden earth worm my daughter threw in for them and they all went nuts including the little one fighting over it. but i've tried boiled mashed up egg, green veg and brocoli and they all took one investegative peck and ignored it and happily dug wood shavings over it all until i eventually took it away. My pink poo bird is the small one, sh'es supposed to be the same age at 3 wks as the other two but proper tiny in comparison. She also has the occasional sneeze and is sleepier than the other two. I'm worried about her and don't really know what to do. The breeder keeps saying she's fine but i don't feel she's coping as well as the other two. Should i be worried? I think my two bigger birds would do ok in the coop with a heat source, but I'd be so upset if I put the little one out and she died of cold or something. The temp for the next week here in the north west of england is due to be 17/20 max but a bit of rain too. Thanks for any help

I know nothing about chickens as I just got four new ones myself but out of the four I have one of mine is smaller than the other three. When I got them they were all the same size. I have scoured the internet and found both good and bad results from a little chick but I am just keeping a close eye and hoping for the best. I hope the same for you and your girls. <3

 

[Half a dozen]

Thank you, I am prepared for her to not live if it happens. The breeder lives over 2 hrs drive each way away from me, so I had them delivered through there courier. It's an online site with chickens and supplies from food to medicine that you order with the birds and its delivered to your door. I only have 3 chicks as we just wanted some free range chickens to love and give us some eggs, so 3 was enough. Now this little one seems sick its putting issues into the pot and if we lose her the other two will pick on a new one we get. It's all getting very frustrating....

 

[Half a dozen]

Thank you

 

[Half a dozen]

update:The coop is up! They slept in it last night on the heat pad and all were fine this morning. It's on concrete as my grass is a high slope and not stable enough for the coop. But when we move to my partners his is grass. Here's the coop.

 

[jenxsawyer]

I love the coop! They look so happy <3 I am just wondering what is that stuff in the bin in the last picture?

 

[Half a dozen]

It's bird grit as they're on concrete until the end of summer when we move house, then they are going to be on grass and free range. But until then apart from play time on my grass I gave them access to grit. Today I bought a toy for them where you hang food from and bought apple cider vinegar and added some to the water for the weaker baby and i've seen her drinking, so I'm happy now. they've all been drinking it so I'm hoping it perks up my little baby. saying that she's quite lively now, but still sneezing a bit. I've ordered chicken vits and will add that to their water when it arrives, apparently it's great stuff and will perk up any lethargic weak birds in 30 minutes! so here's hoping that and the apple cider vinegar fix up my baby one.

 

[jenxsawyer]

Aww yay so happy your girl is doing great. I would love to be updated when she is full grown hen laying eggys

I dont even know what grit is I am so new to this lol. I will look it up now

 

[rebrascora]

@jenxsawyer

Quote:

Grit is literally that.....small stones.

Hen's don't have teeth to chew their food. Instead they have a large muscular pouch in their abdomen called a gizzard. They eat grit to grind up their food....particularly grains and fibrous material like grass. The grit passes through their system with their food into the gizzard, where the muscles contract, causing the stones and grains and other food to rub against each other and break down. The grit is retained in the gizzard until it is itself broken down into small particles which are then passed through the intestines and pooped out with other waste. Chickens fed solely on chicken pellets or crumble have little need for grit as they break down with water into a mush anyway, but if you feed whole grains (perhaps as a treat like scratch) or allow them access to vegetation like grass or cabbage or anything else that needs "chewing" , they need grit to grind it up, in order to break it down. If they don't have access to grit then these foods will build up in their gizzard causing a blockage and perhaps even death, so grit is really quite important for them. Many birds find what they need whilst free ranging. Crushed dried egg shells can be used for this and will also provide extra calcium for hens that are laying. If you scatter it on the ground, the chickens will take what they need. Crushed oyster shells are also sold for this purpose.

@Half a dozen

Glad to hear your little one has picked up a bit. I was just at my local feed warehouse the other day and they have nutri drops in stock and also other supplements including one specifically for respiratory problems that might help if it's sneezing. If I remember correctly you are in the UK too, so should be able to buy some locally.

You might also want to create a cave with your heating pad rather than just leaving it on the floor. That way it simulates a mother hen with the chicks snuggling underneath her for warmth. It probably makes it a lot more efficient too as you can insulate over the top and make a nice warm space for the chicks to run in and huddle if they need it. There is a really good thread by Blooie, on this. I will try to find it and post a link.

Here it is.....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update