Newbie disaters

[Suzilla Bean]

As the title implies, I am new at raising chickens and in these 3 weeks I've had plenty of moments where "Murphy's Law" applies. If my stress is any indication of how stressed the chicks are, I'm worried for them. Many mistakes can be made in 21 days. My concern is that I'm stressing my girls out. They consistently eat, sleep, chirp, poop. They seem fine, but I'm not sure what I should be looking out for in order to tell their state of being.

 

[chickenlover09]

uh, my chickens sometimes pace around when they're nervous but I think your chickens are okay!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

uh, my chickens sometimes pace around when they're nervous but I think your chickens are okay!

Chickens constantly eat, sleep, chirp, and poop. Its what chickens are best known for. So you must be doing something right.

 

[Suzilla Bean]

Thanks for the words of reassurance. I'm doing something right, in spite of myself.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If you do everything right than that is the best you can do, things will happen, you will lose birds, and it's the way of poultry keeping, most chickens die from things we can't control, and it's very hard to kill chickens from doing the wrong thing after they grow a bit. Sick birds don't show symptoms until they are nearly gone, lethargy, not eating, though some will pretend to eat, bloody droppings, watch for things like that, I think like most of us you will develop the ability to look at your chickens and get that feeling so and so isn't looking right. Chicken keeping is supposed to be relaxing, everything eventually dies despite our attempt to stop it, so relax and enjoy.

 

[allpeepedout]

It's hard to know what to expect until you raise your first batch! Hope you're holding up and you all get through it okay.

I have limited experience, but have found that loud chirping is a highly reliable sign of very unhappy chicks, akin to a baby crying. It's the same sound you hear at the farm store, from the chick bins. Chirp, chirp, chirp -- shrill, desperate, loud.

A happy chick is quiet or may be chirping continuously, but quietly.It's a low-key, babbling, twittering kind of sound. Like a happy baby.

In my near-disaster experience, the recommended temperatures were too high by at least 5 degrees. A chick can overheat and become too lethargic to move away from the heat, then quickly dehydrate.

Not sure what your disasters have been, but hope they're all in hindsight. Good luck.

 

[nickih17]

Hi
I have just joined this site you are all so informative. I bought my first chicks on Saturday and have them inside as nearly 3 wks old until get main feathers. Is that when I should put them in coop please? Mine eat drink poop and sleep too lol. I've bought a chick brooder and they seem to like going under it at night but kick Dust free sawdust in water and soaks it up so am constantly cleaning out and refillin. Has anyone any better water ideas?
Thanks

 

[Suzilla Bean]

Nickih17:

Check out the thread: "Chicks water always dirty in brooder"

They have a lot of ideas and pictures.

From there, I found this solution: http://shop.chickenfountain.com/Brooder-Bottle-Cap_c6.htm

 

[nickih17]

Thankyou very much. X

 

[costello]

I've been at this a little over two years, but still consider myself a newbie. I remember my first four chicks. I was so sure I'd kill them and was amazed every day they were still alive.

I managed to keep them alive for months until I decided to put them outside. Then the neighbor's dog killed three of them.

I went out immediately and bought six more - and a good electric fence. There's a learning curve.

Good luck.