Hey guys. I've been on the forum before as a guest, just to get basic information on raising chicks and what not. I decided to register to hopefully answer some questions.
My Fiance and I purchased five chicks a couple months ago and were raising them to be laying hens. We already have one full-grown laying hen, but we wanted more so that we wouldn't have to buy eggs from the store anymore. Before we got the chicks I did extensive research online on how to properly raise the chicks and keep them comfortable. My Fiance grew up in a family that owned chickens, cows, etc. but I didn't have that experience so I brought it upon myself to learn how to properly care for chickens and chicks.
Unfortunately four of the five of our chicks died. We have one chick left, one that I had named "Amby" (latin root of ambition because she was the first to try and fly out of the brooder). We had checked all of the boxes, heat management with heat lamp, bought the recommended bedding, acquired a feeder, water fountain, and ensured that the brooder itself didn't have any defined corners.
The most obvious symptoms of the chicks that had passed were as follows:
Amby showed symptoms like the rest, but somehow pushed through longer than the others. Now, for the fact of this horrible loss that will most likely make anyone reading really dislike me;
We did not feed them chick starter. Like I said above, my Fiance has extensive experience in farm animals, his mother had raised multiple flocks of chickens from birth. Despite my persistence on the chick starter, he assured me that the chicks would grow and survive on the scraps from our garden. I don't think that was the case given the current circumstances. He continued to blame the chick's deaths on disease and sub-par care given by me. But the main thing I heard and read from anyone that's raised chicks, is that you cannot cheap on the chick starter. They need it to grow and flourish.
In the time that the chicks were passing, we were broke. I did however purchase 4 dozen eggs for our consumption and also to feed the last chick, Amby. I read online that it's great to feed chicks eggs, and it made sense to me since an egg is literally what she is made up of. So she was fed a cooked egg a day, plus whatever scraps I had on hand. She actually perked up quite a bit, she was walking around in the new brooder I set up for her, she was finally doing good.
A few days ago my Fiance got a new job due to a stall in his business. We were finally able to purchase a bag of chick starter! Amby is now growing like she should be, walking around, and actually acting like a chick. She seems healthy, and happy. I set up a new brooder like I said, I put her in a clear tote on top of the table in our kitchen. I figured she wouldn't feel so lonely if she could see what was going on outside of the brooder.
So, if you read all that, thank you. What I'm really wondering now is how the two month stall in her growth will affect her long-term? In those two months she stayed about the size as when we got the chicks. She was alive and healthy, but will that stunt in growth affect her long-term?
My Fiance and I purchased five chicks a couple months ago and were raising them to be laying hens. We already have one full-grown laying hen, but we wanted more so that we wouldn't have to buy eggs from the store anymore. Before we got the chicks I did extensive research online on how to properly raise the chicks and keep them comfortable. My Fiance grew up in a family that owned chickens, cows, etc. but I didn't have that experience so I brought it upon myself to learn how to properly care for chickens and chicks.
Unfortunately four of the five of our chicks died. We have one chick left, one that I had named "Amby" (latin root of ambition because she was the first to try and fly out of the brooder). We had checked all of the boxes, heat management with heat lamp, bought the recommended bedding, acquired a feeder, water fountain, and ensured that the brooder itself didn't have any defined corners.
The most obvious symptoms of the chicks that had passed were as follows:
- Constipation
- Stalled growth
- Anxiety
- Almost grasping for air in the last few days of their lives
- Not able to properly move in their environment
Amby showed symptoms like the rest, but somehow pushed through longer than the others. Now, for the fact of this horrible loss that will most likely make anyone reading really dislike me;
We did not feed them chick starter. Like I said above, my Fiance has extensive experience in farm animals, his mother had raised multiple flocks of chickens from birth. Despite my persistence on the chick starter, he assured me that the chicks would grow and survive on the scraps from our garden. I don't think that was the case given the current circumstances. He continued to blame the chick's deaths on disease and sub-par care given by me. But the main thing I heard and read from anyone that's raised chicks, is that you cannot cheap on the chick starter. They need it to grow and flourish.
In the time that the chicks were passing, we were broke. I did however purchase 4 dozen eggs for our consumption and also to feed the last chick, Amby. I read online that it's great to feed chicks eggs, and it made sense to me since an egg is literally what she is made up of. So she was fed a cooked egg a day, plus whatever scraps I had on hand. She actually perked up quite a bit, she was walking around in the new brooder I set up for her, she was finally doing good.
A few days ago my Fiance got a new job due to a stall in his business. We were finally able to purchase a bag of chick starter! Amby is now growing like she should be, walking around, and actually acting like a chick. She seems healthy, and happy. I set up a new brooder like I said, I put her in a clear tote on top of the table in our kitchen. I figured she wouldn't feel so lonely if she could see what was going on outside of the brooder.
So, if you read all that, thank you. What I'm really wondering now is how the two month stall in her growth will affect her long-term? In those two months she stayed about the size as when we got the chicks. She was alive and healthy, but will that stunt in growth affect her long-term?
