Raising Chicks has been a Joy

[Grandmas Coop]

Well, 10:05 and all is well...... for the moment
Here is the blow by blow- from pick up to everyone is mobile

Before opening the box and what I saw... yep one leaning against the wall, eyes not open- and wing feathers


I got home and got the sink ready. I took them out one by one, dipping the beak in the water letting each one take a drink before I got the next one out. I got everyone out and going and got the week one last because I needed to attend to her.


I had to check out the wings, ???? hatch date 5-18, do they grow like this in 2 days


On the Red little bit-- first I noticed she was cold, no warmth to her, I reached over and turned on the oven to heat the kitchen,,, I dipped her beak, she moved a tiny bit, I dipped my finger and put drops in her mouth, then I stood in front of the oven warming her, then putting drips in her mouth,


I stood her in front of the water, she just stood with her eyes closed,


so I got everyone to the brooder. Before I went to pick them up I set up a box, took the plate heater from the Browns. So here they are all in the brooder, but under the heater. , I had to add, I had to clean each ones hiney, they all had poopie butt


the Browns had the Cozy Coop heater hanging there on the left


We had another cozy heater in the water heater closet, "They say not for use in a brooder" but I needed to get these babies warm. The wood stove was going but the house wasnt quite warm enough. Grandpa put some more wood on the fire and got me the heater.




That was the ticket- everyone started moving except the one little bit, she just leaned on that heater, after about 10 min. I made her move and get a drink. She drank some and went back.
So, everyone is moving better, and I think we are ok,, I will keep an eye on the little bits / slow ones


Everyone was tired and wanting to sleep next to the cozy heater, so I moved it and showed them the plate heater & shooed them under,



As of now,
the Browns are sleeping comfortably,








And the Reds are 1/2 sleeping


and the Dogs, sleeping



Lets make coffee

 

[Grandmas Coop]

by the way,,, yes chicks can jump up and get out of the dog crate,, this is why the cardboard got higher, Lolololol holy cannoli

 

[Grandmas Coop]

 

[LaFleche]

How is the sickly one by now? I hope it will recover.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

Coffee time,
I think ok, I just went and peeked, 3 of the reds were eating, the 2 smaller ones and the white orpingtons were sleeping. I did have to wipe the hineys again, I think they will do fine.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

I think I have another rooster - it is smaller than the other 5 chicks- they have wings and tail- it just got wings - But we will just have to wait and see

 

[Grandmas Coop]

OH MY ,, it has been a long 5 to 11pm.... the Brown chicks have a routine, and at 6:30 they eat, drink and go under their heat, .
well at 7 they started jumping up on top of the water jug, on the feed jug, on top of the box, with a look of, "I want out and I am getting out and I think I can jump out" then they ran back and forth- and I am trying to figure what in the world is up with them, and NUTS, I need to cover the dog crate or they are going to get out and ..........so I get towels and covet it, then they are huddled in a corner and wont get in the nice comfy box

HELLO the box is not their bed



Meanwhile, the red chicks are still trying to adjust, they are all weak I think, tired from the 48 hours of who knows what, I dont think they were kept warm.
they just want to hug the heater, which I think is to hot on low to keep my hand on, so , no they cant sleep standing up- So , I gave the Browns the orange heater back, gave the reds the box, I put bedding in it and out it a safe distance from the heater, no, they wouldn't go lay down. So now what????? ok I remembered @Parront & @LaFleche saying she uses a heating pad... I have one its?? 40 years old??? Hmmm I dont know.
So I got a towel and wrapped it and put it in the box and smushed the side up a bit with 2 collapsible dog bowls---that did it, they settled in.


I sat and watched for quite a while, they piled at first, and spread out after.
I just went in, its 11:30 one was fussing,
I dont think the heating pad can stay on high all night???
Grandpa will be home from work at 12:30, I 'll see what he thinks?
the one that is very weak, I thought she was dead, but she is breathing, she is just so tiered she is zonked out.
I'll check the temp outside, it is cooling off in here--its 46 out. I'll go get wood to fill the rack.
@Grammy60

 

[LaFleche]

How about a nice tea for them to recover:

Oregano, thyme, sage, aniseed and fennel. Let it steep for at least 30 min. and add some honey and save-a-chick.
Pick up the sickly chick every two hours and use a dropper or straw to feed it one drop at a time, the tea should be luke warm.

With your heating pad you could create some kind of den/cave, so they will be able to snuggel underneath in semi-darkness.

Right from the start the brown Leghorns seemed to be perkier and fitter than these red ones are. Something that was also plain to see watching the hatchery videos.
Maybe they are rare and therefore quite inbred?

Did you notice the hatchery already? They should change their shipment methods and add some heating or their customers might receive chick icicles.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

How about a nice tea for them to recover:

Oregano, thyme, sage, aniseed and fennel. Let it steep for at least 30 min. and add some honey and save-a-chick.
Pick up the sickly chick every two hours and use a dropper or straw to feed it one drop at a time, the tea should be luke warm.

With your heating pad you could create some kind of den/cave, so they will be able to snuggel underneath in semi-darkness.

Right from the start the brown Leghorns seemed to be perkier and fitter than these red ones are. Something that was also plain to see watching the hatchery videos.
Maybe they are rare and therefore quite inbred?

Did you notice the hatchery already? They should change their shipment methods and add some heating or their customers might receive chick icicles.

I am still up, I haven't gone to bed, little bit red just died 5 min ago @Grammy60

 

[LaFleche]

little bit red just died 5 min ago

So sorry! But to be honest, it looked already two thirds gone on arrival.