The Expecting Chick Momma Thread

[MsChickenMomma]

I got the call from the post office at 10:53am. We went and immediately picked them up and brought them home. All of them looked great except one. She was laying kind if sideways and her neck kept laying upside-down on her back. We removed her from the brooder and did some research. We found out she has wry neck and it is treatable with enough time and patience. My mom went and got the stuff we needed to save her and we've been giving her some of the vitamins and stuff every couple hours. It's 5:49pm and she's doing SO much better. She has been able to stand up straight for a few minutes at a time. She wobbles a little, but she's been preening and has been peeping a lot the last 3 hours. The only thing we haven't been able to get her to do is eat.

The other 9 chicks are doing really good. They've been racing in circles, napping, and eating and drinking all day. They are so much fun to watch!

So far I am very pleased with my Meyer Hatchery chicks Hopefully Hope (the chick with wry neck) makes it through the night!

 

[AmpersatChick]

good luck w/your chick, glad the others are well. looks like we'll have to be patient until tomorrow!

 

[MsChickenMomma]

Well, Hope took a turn for the worst again... She's very weak. She can at least stand. She still hardly opens her eyes, and she isn't peeping very much anymore. I guess all we can do is hope that she makes it through this...

 

[AmpersatChick]

Aw, darn.

 

[kortmom]

I got my chicks today! I got a call from the post office at 10:30 a.m. Saying they had just arrived. They had told me previously that they wpuld only arrive at 4:30 or 6:00 a.m. Or 4:30 pm so i was very surprised and thankful that I didnt have to work today or they would have sat there for hours!

I got them home and the first one I pulled out of the box was a very tiny RIR runt. She was lethargic and standing all alone with her eyes closed and she was rocking back and forth. The other 5 were healthy and energetic. I continued to dip the runt's beak in the water every few minutes and called My PetChicken to see what I should do. They called me back and told me she was probably hatched imediately before being shipped and she was probably dehydrated. She told me I should mix up sugar water that was sweet to my taste and offer it to all the chicks along with plain water for a few days. She also told me to mix their medicated chick feed with sugar water to an oatmeal consistency to add more hydration for everyone. I have spent my day making sure the runt is getting her beak dipped in the sugar water and she has been eating. She is still the quiet chick and she is very small and spends her more time under the heat lamp than the others. I also added a small stuffed animal in the brooder under the light and she likes to stand near it, it is wait and see for Charlotte right now but I feel slightly optomistic. Her sisters are thriving. I will let you know how she does overnight.

 

[bumpercarr]

I got my chicks today! I got a call from the post office at 10:30 a.m. Saying they had just arrived. They had told me previously that they wpuld only arrive at 4:30 or 6:00 a.m. Or 4:30 pm so i was very surprised and thankful that I didnt have to work today or they would have sat there for hours!

I got them home and the first one I pulled out of the box was a very tiny RIR runt. She was lethargic and standing all alone with her eyes closed and she was rocking back and forth. The other 5 were healthy and energetic. I continued to dip the runt's beak in the water every few minutes and called My PetChicken to see what I should do. They called me back and told me she was probably hatched imediately before being shipped and she was probably dehydrated. She told me I should mix up sugar water that was sweet to my taste and offer it to all the chicks along with plain water for a few days. She also told me to mix their medicated chick feed with sugar water to an oatmeal consistency to add more hydration for everyone. I have spent my day making sure the runt is getting her beak dipped in the sugar water and she has been eating. She is still the quiet chick and she is very small and spends her more time under the heat lamp than the others. I also added a small stuffed animal in the brooder under the light and she likes to stand near it, it is wait and see for Charlotte right now but I feel slightly optomistic. Her sisters are thriving. I will let you know how she does overnight.

I've got my fingers and toes crossed....she'll make it, I just know she will.

 

[MayDayMel]

I got my chicks today! I got a call from the post office at 10:30 a.m. Saying they had just arrived. They had told me previously that they wpuld only arrive at 4:30 or 6:00 a.m. Or 4:30 pm so i was very surprised and thankful that I didnt have to work today or they would have sat there for hours!

I got them home and the first one I pulled out of the box was a very tiny RIR runt. She was lethargic and standing all alone with her eyes closed and she was rocking back and forth. The other 5 were healthy and energetic. I continued to dip the runt's beak in the water every few minutes and called My PetChicken to see what I should do. They called me back and told me she was probably hatched imediately before being shipped and she was probably dehydrated. She told me I should mix up sugar water that was sweet to my taste and offer it to all the chicks along with plain water for a few days. She also told me to mix their medicated chick feed with sugar water to an oatmeal consistency to add more hydration for everyone. I have spent my day making sure the runt is getting her beak dipped in the sugar water and she has been eating. She is still the quiet chick and she is very small and spends her more time under the heat lamp than the others. I also added a small stuffed animal in the brooder under the light and she likes to stand near it, it is wait and see for Charlotte right now but I feel slightly optomistic. Her sisters are thriving. I will let you know how she does overnight.

I had a RIR runt. She seriously looked half the size as the rest at first, and now she is only about half a pound lighter. She is also the one that taught my older hens how to scale the 6ft privacy fence today...

You never know with the little runts. Some just don't make it, then others take off and show you what for!

 

[BScott03]

Lost another silkie last night. Silkies are Just so hard it seems like. My next babies should be here any minute!!!!!

 

[kortmom]

I woke up twice during the night and at 5 am to check on everyone and they did just fine. Charlotte is doing everything her sisters are doing, just less of it. She will eat, drink, peck at someone, flutter around, just less of it. I still dip her beak in sugar water every time I go by the brooder, just for a little extra. She likes to be right under the light, I am thinking because she os smaller and needs a little more warmth. The stuffed animal is a hit. Everyone cozies right in and nobody has pooped on it yet.

I am using paper towels in the brooder and I have been taking away a few layers and adding new ones a couple times a day. This morning I rolled them all up and put in all new pieces. I have found it is easier to put in lots of individual pieces rather than a long piece because if I need to pull up one or two, then they come right up.

We have pet them but we are giving everyone 48 full hours before we start holding them so they have time to relax and settle in.

Best wishes to all that have new babies coming. It is fun!

I have zero pasty butt with any of them.

 

[AmpersatChick]

Got my peeps this morning! They are the cutest thing ever! All eleven look great, active, playful, eating and drinking right away. I just ran and checked for pasty butt after reading kortmom's post....realizing I have no idea how to check chick fannies! LOL