New here and new with chickens.

[Vinchinzo]

I got my chickens 2 days ago, Barred rock. The first day they seemed to adjust ok and were eating and scratching quite a bit. Today, all day, I havent seen them eating or drinking at all. (Doesn't mean they haven't I just haven't seen it) I put some raw eggplant by their food and it has also gone untouched....worried and looking for any advice. Thank you in advance

 

[Outpost JWB]

My chickens do not like eggplant. Are you feeding them layer mash, or anything else, or are they strictly free ranging?

Check their crop at night and make sure they are bulged out. This is an indication that they are eating well.

 

[Vinchinzo]

Feeding them layer....and what do you mean by their "crop"?

 

[Nupe]

First thing I would do would be check the vitals. Is the room temp ok? For 2 day old chicks, they like it around 95 degrees. Make sure your heat lamp is around that temp directly under it and they have room to get away from it if they get too warm. If they're too cold, the will snuggle up and move around less. Also, they like the water a bit warm to start with. I just use warm tap water and place the dish near enough to the heat lamp to stay above normal room temp.

Second thing, if you didn't do it when they first got home, would be to put some electrolytes or plain sugar in their water. When I did this, my chicks were on a hyper sugar high the whole time it was there (about 8 hours). It was rather amusing to watch. It perks them up nicely. In a span of a few minutes the chicks would drink, run around, stop off at the food dish for a nibble, fall asleep head first in the dish and start all over again.

If this doesn't perk them up, you might want to stop by the injuries and illness forum. There are much more experienced chicken mamas that hang out there than me.

 

[Nupe]

Feeding them layer....and what do you mean by their "crop"?

Oh, they're adult chickens... How old?

Their crop is the first place food goes when a chicken eats. I believe its on the right side breast. You can see it bulged right after they eat, it looks like uneven cleavage.

You can feel it and know right away if there is food in there.

 

[Chris09]

Feeding them layer....and what do you mean by their "crop"?

Crop:
The crop is an organ that's part of the esophagus. The crop is located at the base of the neck and used as a storage place for food and some water after eating but before digestion.

 

[Outpost JWB]

You will know it when you feel it! A lady I gave some pullets to this year called me freaking out the 1st night because she thought 2 of them had developed tumors on their throats.

Their crops will feel hard/ full after dinner. The crop will empty at night when their food is digested.

 

[Outpost JWB]

And by the way Vinchinzo, Welcome to Backyard Chickens! Please let us know if we can help in anyway. We have all been new to chickens at some point or another.

W E L C O M E ! ! ! !

 

[Vinchinzo]

Awesome, thanks so much. Ill check their crop tonight. And they are a couple of months old the guy I got them from (who is very experienced) said they should start laying within a coupe weeks and they just finished molting.

Should I still try the sugar trick if they aren't chicks?

 

[Vinchinzo]

Also , I'm in north Florida and the temp has been in the mid 90s but they are in a well ventilated shady coop