Raising Baby Chick-Along

[Cellomama]

Likewise, my friend! What breeds are you brooding? How many broody mamas are making those adorable cluck-cluck sounds around your place right now?
I went from "hatchaholic" to "bid-on-auctions-aholic" and this last one I won was for just 10 mixed color East Frisian Gulls... well, Greenfire must be overrun with chicks too, because they're sending me 16 extras....so... a total of 26 more chicks are in the mail as I write. What???? We already can't walk in the laundry room, there's boxes and tubs of babies everywhere! No more auctions. No more auctions. No more...

Ok so I know what an auction is but what do you mean when you got chickens from an auction? There are chick auctions?

 

[orrpeople]

Ok so I know what an auction is but what do you mean when you got chickens from an auction? There are chick auctions?

Rare Breed auctions is the clearing house Greenfire uses for some of their breeds - not all, but some. There are some other sellers too, and usually the prices are pretty crazy, but once in a while you can get an very good deal!

 

[orrpeople]

Hi all! I have been out of the loop for a while but due to a career change, I thankfully have some more time to myself...first thing I decided to do of course is revamp the old coop (my poor hubby lol) and start fresh with ten baby girls from the hatchery. Well, they arrived a week ago and I am absolutely in love! I am so excited to share this journey with such a wonderful community of chicken-lovers. I am already attached to my gals of course and it's only been a week...there's my baby Delaware "Miss Blue", my rambunctious red star "stunts", who is already jumping onto the water fount, the food container, me, anything within reach! Lol and my Australorp "Artimus"...my RIR "Roseanne"...who am I kidding I just love em all Thanks for creating this post and sharing in the adventure!

So fun! We started back up much the same way - had an old coop that came with the house and had to make some improvements, but have since filled that one...and 6 others!!!! You've had your fair warning - if you hang out with us, and your housing codes permit it - this may just be the beginning!! We may be crazy chicken people, but we love every single one of them!

 

[Gorman Farm]

I just had 5 chicks hatch I will try to get better pics tomorrow here is one of mama hen the rest of the chicks are under her.

 

[orrpeople]

I just had 5 chicks hatch I will try to get better pics tomorrow here is one of mama hen the rest of the chicks are under her.View attachment 1041949

I love her expression - she is definitely on mamma patrol! Congratulations on your sweet babies!

 

[orrpeople]

Alrighty, chick-alongers - day two question: water (vitamin, probiotic, etc.) supplements? What have you tried? What works best for different chick issues?

 

[WVduckchick]

What's your RH there in WV right now? Ours is in the 20% range. Everything is drying out, and we are supposed to be in the hundred degree range by this weekend! Even with the low humidity, Buffy's babies did just fine with hatching! The only drawback with having her raise those chicks was that they turned out like little wild things! And Buff lets us hold her, pet her, etc. But her babies were (and still are) very wild! Is there something you do with your broody babies to help with that?

Our days are up and down this time if year. It can be 30% one day, 80%+ the next. My incubator is staying around 33-35% with no water.
And yea, broody chicks are usually more wild, some breeds are better than others. But i don't handle most of my chickens anyway, so i just get them used to me by handling a little while they are young. They don't have to jump on me, but I don't want mean, super scared chicks either. Letting broodies raise them is still easier on me lol

Hi all! I have been out of the loop for a while but due to a career change, I thankfully have some more time to myself...first thing I decided to do of course is revamp the old coop (my poor hubby lol) and start fresh with ten baby girls from the hatchery. Well, they arrived a week ago and I am absolutely in love! I am so excited to share this journey with such a wonderful community of chicken-lovers. I am already attached to my gals of course and it's only been a week...there's my baby Delaware "Miss Blue", my rambunctious red star "stunts", who is already jumping onto the water fount, the food container, me, anything within reach! Lol and my Australorp "Artimus"...my RIR "Roseanne"...who am I kidding I just love em all Thanks for creating this post and sharing in the adventure!

Glad you got some chicken time! And glad you joined us!

I just had 5 chicks hatch I will try to get better pics tomorrow here is one of mama hen the rest of the chicks are under her.View attachment 1041949

Beautiful! Japanese or Serama??

 

[WVduckchick]

Alrighty, chick-alongers - day two question: water (vitamin, probiotic, etc.) supplements? What have you tried? What works best for different chick issues?

Nutridrench!
i used to always use Sav-a-chick probiotics and electrolytes, but not so much now. But i will always have Nutridrench on hand for any stragglers/weaklings. Straight from the dropper (wipe it on my finger, transfer to chicks beak) then follow with clear water. Great stuff!

 

[Burbs03]

Aww - very sweet! How have you been "keeping" them? What breeds? Do you let them roam a little, or was this a photo op? I had a very social group of Black Copper Marans that wanted to be in the kitchen with me. If only they didn't poop every 20 minutes, it would have been fun!

it was a photo op, they stay in their brooder most of the time but the feathered ones like to jump out and roam around the garage, I make sure they get back in safely.

 

[orrpeople]

Nutridrench!
i used to always use Sav-a-chick probiotics and electrolytes, but not so much now. But i will always have Nutridrench on hand for any stragglers/weaklings. Straight from the dropper (wipe it on my finger, transfer to chicks beak) then follow with clear water. Great stuff!

Yes! I completely agree. You sold me on Nutridrench when I had the little chick with the neurological problem (wry neck or stargazing) and I seriously thought I was going to have to cull it. After administering the Nutri drench, in about an hour it was doing all the normal things little chicks do with no sign that it had been flipping itself over backward, looking like it was having seizures, and perpetually keeping its eyes closed! It was nothing short of miraculous!! Now, she's a beautiful 10 week old Bielefelder out in a grow out pen with her other pals.
I still use the sav-a-chick electrolytes and probiotics in their drinking water for at least the first few days. I'm not positive it has much effect, but it's part of my new chick routine, so I just keep doing it.