The Last One is Gone...Home with Kate!

[speckledhen]

The last chick from my hatches of Oct, Nov and Dec has gone to her new home with helmstead. I only kept two Barred Rock sons of Hawkeye and Lexie, Gabriel and Zane. Today was their first day in with the BIG EVIL WOMEN in the main coop. They had been living in the nursery coop with Hawkeye and the blue Ameraucana pullet who is now living with Kate. Zane is a bit young at just over 9 weeks old, but it was either put him with his older brother and the laying flock or put him in with 20 four-week-old chicks, neither situation being the ideal one, but neither was him being alone. The feed situation isn't the best for that one youngster, but I made the feed ratio heavy on the Rockin-Rooster Booster pelleted feed so the calcium levels are very low for the young cockerels, but the protein level in Rooster Booster is 20%. I will move the oyster shell out where the girls don't forget to eat it and in a few weeks, the feed will go back to being heavy on the layer pellets.
I cleaned out the big nursery coop and moved the 20 babies over from the broody pen to the other, much larger side where they immediately began sparring, running, jumping and flying in earnest. They really felt liberated! And it will be more sanitary with much more floor space/shavings. Whew!
We had a nice visit and lunch with Kate, Ben and their two adorable, well-behaved kids. It was great to see them again and be with some chicken-crazy people just like us, LOL. Thank you, Kate, for giving my little blue girl a nice home and for helping me with the Lexie problem today-didn't think you'd be Nurse Kate today, did ya?

 

[BantyChickMom]

Speckled,

I'm happy for you and sad for you all at the same time.

Hope everything works OK for Zane.

 

[tazcat70]

Did I miss something? Is Lexie ok?

I am sure it is a relief and sad all at the same time about them being gone, and the moving of chicks.

 

[helmstead]

Lexie may never forgive me

Yes, we had a lovely visit! It is a beautiful drive to Cyn's place, and then you get a full service meal with YUMMY homemade bread to boot! My son loved Cyn's hubby, LOL, and my daughter learned not to run towards an opening refrigerator door.

My gosh - Suede in person is an experience everyone should have. That rooster is AMAZING! All of Cyn's birds are just great. I would have tried to sneak Blue Girl's mom in the van with me, but she was busy cuddling with Cyn's hubby and foiled my plans!

THANK YOU CYN!

 

[speckledhen]

You are so welcome, Kate. We should do that more often since we really dont live that far apart.

Taz, Lex has been in an extremely rough molt for months on end and just quit laying three weeks ago. I found her sitting on the roost day before yesterday with very labored breathing and brought her in to stay in the brooder under a heat lamp. We tried to check for an egg when Kate suspected she may be coming back into lay, but couldnt feel one. Still not sure what's up with her, but she's being pampered inside. It's definitely some type of mechanical issue. Her abdomen seems a bit swollen to me. So, hopefully, whatever it is will resolve itself in a couple of days with whatever treatment we can figure out to administer.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I'm sure your relieved to have room again after having chicks all over.

I'm sorry to hear that Lexie isn't feeling up to par. I pray that she will soon be feeling her old self. How is her feathering out coming?

 

[speckledhen]

Her chest, stomach, head, and wing tops are now covered. Her back is almost covered with just a small bare area just above the tail. Her entire bottom is still bare, but there are pin feathers now. Her tail is just a few ratty feathers, so those still need to come in, but she's so much better looking than she was, thanks for asking! She's my special girl, so I dont want to lose her.

 

[luvzmybabz]

So...................... now that you have an empty brooder aren't you feeling lonely? I was wondering when your next set is going into the incubator?

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I'm glad she is finally feathering out!

 

[speckledhen]

No more bator babies till about April!