poor health farm chicks and what i can do? mixing chicks.....

[oldhen2345]

I agree about bringing them home but just couldn't walk away and turn my back to them

I also have chicks from a reputable hatchery and managed to also get 3 little chicks from a questionalbe local breeder. Their condition was so appalling, I could not just leave them there. I only wanted one or two but ended up with three. They were pretty bad the first day. They are quarantined, fed, watered and given heat, but they would not even lay down to sleep- they slept standing up- they were in a very crowded brooder. Their feathers are all over the place and they had hard poop balls on their toes. I removed those with olive oil and some forceps- took about 30 minutes each. I ended up putting a "normal" hatchery chick in with them just so they could see what normal chicks do. After one day, they act more normal - actually sitting down to nap. Their feathers are still a mess, but hopefully, the next set will grow normally. Do I need to vaccinate them for Mareks or is it too late? I can only guess their ages- they were supposed to be standard Mottled Orpington chicks about 1 1/2 to 2 wks old. I put a 2 wk old BO in with them. There is a definite difference in size, although it looks like they have their hackle feathers. What else can I do to help them?

 

[lazy gardener]

Quarantine will not mean anything unless you keep them WELL separated from your other chicks, in an other room. And you will need to be sure to wash hands well, and tend your regular flock first, not move back and forth between the two groups. As hard as it is to walk away from a bad situation, I would not have attempted any sort of rescue. All too often a "forever" disease is the thanks you get for such an act of charity. I'm glad they are doing better. I would add Poultry Nutri Drench and fermented feed to their care.

 

[oldhen2345]

Thanks. I do have them in two separate brooder boxes each at the far end of the house- as far away as I can get them. I am a nurse, so I realize the details of quarantine. I tend the outside grown chickens, then come in and take off my shoes, wash my arms up to the elbows and tend the little chickens (from the hatchery). I wash to the elbows again, change clothes (usually to a mumu) and tend the new chicks. then, I usually go take my shower. I will stop and get Nutri Drench today to start them on and try to figure how much they eat daily(there is a lot of spillage with dry feed) to start the fermenting process. My grown hens get fermented feed- I was just nervous about starting chicks on it.

 

[lazy gardener]

Thanks. I do have them in two separate brooder boxes each at the far end of the house- as far away as I can get them. I am a nurse, so I realize the details of quarantine. I tend the outside grown chickens, then come in and take off my shoes, wash my arms up to the elbows and tend the little chickens (from the hatchery). I wash to the elbows again, change clothes (usually to a mumu) and tend the new chicks. then, I usually go take my shower. I will stop and get Nutri Drench today to start them on and try to figure how much they eat daily(there is a lot of spillage with dry feed) to start the fermenting process. My grown hens get fermented feed- I was just nervous about starting chicks on it.

You really don't need to be exact in your "how much FF to make for the chicks." For 6 chicks to start out, you might want to just ferment a qt. You can steal some of the SCOBY from your ferment for your adult birds. The amount of calcium in the stolen SCOBY won't be enough to bother the chicks. If fermenting for more than 6 chicks, you could use a small bucket. If you end up with too much FF for the chicks, simply give the extra to your adults. I like the 3 gallon size buckets b/c they are easier to lug. I simply grab a bucket of FF and head out the door with it.

 

[oldhen2345]

You really don't need to be exact in your "how much FF to make for the chicks." For 6 chicks to start out, you might want to just ferment a qt. You can steal some of the SCOBY from your ferment for your adult birds. The amount of calcium in the stolen SCOBY won't be enough to bother the chicks. If fermenting for more than 6 chicks, you could use a small bucket. If you end up with too much FF for the chicks, simply give the extra to your adults. I like the 3 gallon size buckets b/c they are easier to lug. I simply grab a bucket of FF and head out the door with it.

Thanks lazygardener, I will start fermenting today. I got the Poultry Nutri Drench and started them on that last night.