NY chicken lover!!!!

Pyxis- so sorry about the chicks, that's so sad to go through once, let alone twice!!

I'm making a drive to Indiana to see my family for an early Thanksgiving. Pretty excited to see them, but hope the chickens do well with someone just checking in every now and then. They have two hanging nipple waterers that have aquarium heaters in and a big feed bucket.

What I do when I go away is make sure there are plenty of milk jugs full of water and jugs full of feed. If I have chicks I make sure there is feed and water for them too.

This is the back hoop coop. I am not lugging jugs of feed every day.

 
I've ordered twice from Meyer and only one chick died after about 40 hours, it was just weak from the start. I'm doing the hatching egg thing this time around.
This type of things is how I found B YC. I had two chicks that didn't look well.

What I learned was to separate them, which I did. I put them in a small box with food and water and closed it over so they were in the dark and could rest. Sometimes they just get worn out. They both recovered after a couple of days. Chicks are like newborns they need lots of sleep. IMHO I think some folks keep poking and prodding and "oh they're so cute, pick them up and do them in"

Also when I first got chicks I learned to put some sugar in the water for their first drinks. I use those plastic waterers and put in the sugar til I could taste it in the water. Then I dunked their beaks in to be sure they got at least one drink. I might do it for a couple of drinkers.

Now when I hatch, I leave the first chicks till the second or third day and them move them to the brooder with the sugar water drink. Not all chicks hatch at the same time.

My first order was from Ideal. They were very nice to deal with. I've considered dumping all the roosters and just ordering pullet chicks.
 
400
this is my little "special " chick. The curve to the right isn't just the way she's standing either. She started with a straight little chick body but as she has grown it's like the tendons or muscles in her right side just won't stretch. Any ideas? She isn't in pain and lays a perfect egg daily. She's super sweet. We named her Crooked and hubby decided she won't be processed. She is our per chicken.
 
this is my little "special " chick. The curve to the right isn't just the way she's standing either. She started with a straight little chick body but as she has grown it's like the tendons or muscles in her right side just won't stretch. Any ideas? She isn't in pain and lays a perfect egg daily. She's super sweet. We named her Crooked and hubby decided she won't be processed. She is our per chicken.
I remembered reading about this once, so I just did some quick checking. Possibly wry neck, which is a vitamin deficiency. Check out post 8 in this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/336484/star-gazer-hen
 
Thanks all for your kind words. I haven't heard back from the seller yet but I might just ask for hatching eggs, as was suggested. Those at least aren't going to arrive dead and the cold won't be as much of an issue.
 
Thanks all for your kind words. I haven't heard back from the seller yet but I might just ask for hatching eggs, as was suggested. Those at least aren't going to arrive dead and the cold won't be as much of an issue.

good idea. Don't give up. I'm hoping the seller packs her eggs well and they don't get scrambled. With increasing security they might get xrayed though.
 
I remembered reading about this once, so I just did some quick checking. Possibly wry neck, which is a vitamin deficiency. Check out post 8 in this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/336484/star-gazer-hen
thank you. I guess I should have noted that her head isn't normally twisted that far, she was looking at me for sprouts. It called wry tail. Its genetic and not a problem. She can't be breeding stock but as a pet she works just fine. Thank you for the lead.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom