Raising Baby Chick-Along

[Tashaf]

Yeah, the only thing I can think of is some toxicity in your environment. Little birds are more sensitive to fumes from cleaners or ? than bigger pets. Do you have a friend who would consider brooding for you?

I do not use chemicals

 

[rjohns39]

I do not use chemicals

I don't have first hand knowledge of this but as related by a friend. His neighbor was having a problem similar to what you're experiencing. He cleaned his brooder after every batch, where my friend never cleaned his brooder until the last batch. When the lab finally got back to him, apparently in cleaning, he was successful in killing all the good bacteria--but some of the bad bacteria had developed a resistance. The only solution was to shut down the brooder for 30 days, then do a total clean out and start again. Hope this is not the case--but if you have an alternative brood option I would take it. It might be worth while to build a small cage with a pet heater and move them outside immediately.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

Folks,

Today was final Candle and Lock Down day for my last hatch of the season. Guess I've got one egg that doesn't need to be candled...
View attachment 1089716
And the babies are growing up...
View attachment 1089718
I'll try to get pix of the other hatches tomorrow.

I'm thinking that chick just named him/herself: Early!

 

[AUChickenGal]

It has been absolutely sweltering down here lately, but both groups of chicks continue to do very well. The June babies, at 6 weeks old, have nearly outgrown their "panic room"/growout pen. I'm hoping to move them in with the adults very soon, but Hootie has been such a brat that I'm not sure how that will go. Maybe I should lock her and her chicks up for the first several days? The other adults completely ignore the littles now.

Meanwhile, Hootie's chicks will be 2 weeks old tomorrow and are growing like weeds! The "Mad Scientist" will definitely be barred:

The Olive Egger is still a mystery:

And the Niederrheiner is feathering very light in color, which I've read may mean it's a cockerel. I hope not - they're such pretty birds:

My Buff Orpington has been laying for about two weeks now, and her eggs are already as large as my older pullets. I'm very pleased with her production, although she's still not living up to the breed's friendly reputation.

 

[rjohns39]

Could be.. I've had horrible luck with duck eggs this spring. I'm not sure if the boys were slow figuring out there role or if I was incubating wrong. @Ravynscroft told me to increase my bator temp and lower my humidity and this time around I have over 70 viable eggs in lock down not to mention "Early". I only made a .5 degree adjustment and lowered humidity 5%. Clearly its working. Next year I'll separate ducks and Turkeys and follow this protocol.

 

[rjohns39]

It has been absolutely sweltering down here lately, but both groups of chicks continue to do very well. The June babies, at 6 weeks old, have nearly outgrown their "panic room"/growout pen. I'm hoping to move them in with the adults very soon, but Hootie has been such a brat that I'm not sure how that will go. Maybe I should lock her and her chicks up for the first several days? The other adults completely ignore the littles now.

View attachment 1089889
View attachment 1089887
View attachment 1089888

Meanwhile, Hootie's chicks will be 2 weeks old tomorrow and are growing like weeds! The "Mad Scientist" will definitely be barred:

View attachment 1089886

The Olive Egger is still a mystery:

View attachment 1089885

And the Niederrheiner is feathering very light in color, which I've read may mean it's a cockerel. I hope not - they're such pretty birds:

View attachment 1089884

My Buff Orpington has been laying for about two weeks now, and her eggs are already as large as my older pullets. I'm very pleased with her production, although she's still not living up to the breed's friendly reputation.

View attachment 1089890

I have a pair in lock down in the pasture now. Tomorrow is the big day where they get to go socialize with the others. We'll see how it goes. One cockerel and one pullet.

 

[WVduckchick]

Maybe I can convince this lady to buy mamma too... she drives us crazy.
I think keeping a couple might be a good idea too... just not certain she will raise them.

If she doesn't raise them, maybe the lady would take them then?

I'm thinking that chick just named him/herself: Early!

Right!

It has been absolutely sweltering down here lately, but both groups of chicks continue to do very well. The June babies, at 6 weeks old, have nearly outgrown their "panic room"/growout pen. I'm hoping to move them in with the adults very soon, but Hootie has been such a brat that I'm not sure how that will go. Maybe I should lock her and her chicks up for the first several days? The other adults completely ignore the littles now.

View attachment 1089889
View attachment 1089887
View attachment 1089888

Meanwhile, Hootie's chicks will be 2 weeks old tomorrow and are growing like weeds! The "Mad Scientist" will definitely be barred:

View attachment 1089886

The Olive Egger is still a mystery:

View attachment 1089885

And the Niederrheiner is feathering very light in color, which I've read may mean it's a cockerel. I hope not - they're such pretty birds:

View attachment 1089884

My Buff Orpington has been laying for about two weeks now, and her eggs are already as large as my older pullets. I'm very pleased with her production, although she's still not living up to the breed's friendly reputation.

View attachment 1089890

nice!
and don't feel bad, my lav orps don't live up to the "friendly" rep either.

Could be.. I've had horrible luck with duck eggs this spring. I'm not sure if the boys were slow figuring out there role or if I was incubating wrong. @Ravynscroft told me to increase my bator temp and lower my humidity and this time around I have over 70 viable eggs in lock down not to mention "Early". I only made a .5 degree adjustment and lowered humidity 5%. Clearly its working. Next year I'll separate ducks and Turkeys and follow this protocol.

Glad its working out for you!

 

[orrpeople]

If she doesn't raise them, maybe the lady would take them then?



Right!




nice!
and don't feel bad, my lav orps don't live up to the "friendly" rep either.



Glad its working out for you!

I think "friendly breed" is a toss up... it's been non-breed-specific for me. Like one from each. And my friendliest one i have is classically known for not being friendly (a CL named "Poofie" - yeah, I know. Not very original... I also have a Buff Orp named Buffy. I rock at this naming thing).

 

[Tashaf]

Ok, y'all ask about how my brooder is set up: I have large pine chips, water at the opposite end of the heating bulb, a brooder thermometer in the middle, The opposite end from the heat bulb is open so they can get fresh air, my chicks eat and drink a good. But will all the sudden die for no reason. I have use the medication for cocci in their water for a few days after one does just incase that's the problem. They eat chick starter. I do not use chemicals. When I cleaned out the router all I do is scoop out the old bedding and poop and put New in. So why are all my chicks dying? Today the prettiest little lavender chick I've ever saw was fine one minute then started to flop around as if it was a neurological problem and died right in front of me as I was cleaning the other chick cage.

 

[Tashaf]

The poor little silky Partridge in the picture is all of a sudden sick also Someone please help!