Updates on our 31 chicks & new pics! [Pic Heavy!]

[ParrotsNPullets]

We ordered ~30 chicks from MM hatchery in early April and I have been going CRAZY with the wait! Well, they came this morning, the day before my birthday and I am thrilled!

Our experience with MM hatchery answering any questions we had and informing us of when our chicks were shipping was excellent. The Post Office called us at 6:00am as soon as the chicks came into their doors, and I am really pleased with that. We have a very weak EE that probably would have been dead if we didn't get him/her right away. We also have a 'runt' Sultan chick that is smaller than the other two that must have been sat on most of the journey because he has pressure sores on his knees and is a bit unsteady, although he is alert, active, and holding his own with the large brood. The rest are very robust and feeding/drinking their little hearts out. I'm happy I went with my husband's suggestion of one red heat bulb and one soft white because it's 80+ degrees here and the chicks would have been too warm with 2 red bulbs.

We ordered a mixture of Mille Fleur/Porcelain D'Uccles, Bantam EEs, Sultans, Bantam Golden Laced Cochins, STD BLR/SL Wyandottes, and 1 of each of Bantam Dark Brahma, Bantam Partridge Rock, Bantam Dark Cornish, Bantam Red Frizzle Cochin (+'mystery chick'). We also purchased 3 BCMs locally, so we have a good assortment to choose additions from our flock.

Our weak EE chick is chipmunk colored and was not drinking or eating on its own. I started giving it sugar water every 1/2h or so, and it's picked at a little food but I don't think much if any has gone down. It's very lethargic, and its eyes are watery/irritated. They were clear when I got it out of the box. My husband delicately pulled something out of its one eye but it's still a little mucousy and the bird isn't getting worse but also isn't getting any better. Any suggestions or comments on how to try to save the little guy?

And here are some pics, enjoy.

Them in their box right when I opened it- the box is so much smaller than I had thought it would be!

Learning to drink, scratch, and eat!

The little box was what I was isolating the EE in, but it cried so much I didn't want it to wear itself out... so back into the bunch he/she went.

Some somewhat blurry chick pictures, the first is a BLRW I think (even I can't tell in the pic haha), 2nd is a MF D'uccle, 3rd is a GL Cochin with a bunch of Porcelain D'uccles and a Sultan (close front).

More pics to come soon, I couldn't get good ones of my EE but there really isn't much to show, he/she is just sleepy with watery eyes.

 

[Laurajean]

I'm sorry I have no advise for your watery eyed chick, but do you mind if I ask what the green stuff in the plate is? New to chicks, so sorry if this is a dumb question.

 

[gryeyes]

"Gro-gel." Often provided by the hatchery for extra sustenance during shipping.

 

[ParrotsNPullets]

Yep, it's Gro-Gel I ordered with my chicks in case I had problem eaters. It's worked really well except for the one EE. The other green stuff on the ground is just a little hay over the newspaper for traction while the chicks learn to eat food and not pine shavings.

The chick is getting a bit worse, puked up some water while I had it out to get some more sugar water into it. It drinks on its own when I put it near the little dish with sugar-water, but it doesn't want to try food. I put her back into the isolation box because I don't want her getting bullied or possibly getting the other chicks sick (although I was pretty sure hatchery chicks are relatively healthy =/).

 

[chickerdoodle]

peep peep peep!! I bet you're hearing a lot of that about now. really cute! Ours are now 2 weeks old and they are a-growing!

I might suggest to not use newspaper as its slick and can cause spradle leg. Try a few levels of paper towels instead to add traction. The grass (or alfalfa?) may be too hard to digest yet as they don't have grit. I'd save it for later--like after 2-3 weeks once they've had grit a few times.

For the weak one--it would be a good idea to give a multiviatmin and electrolytes in the water--carried by most feed stores. It is fine for the group for a week or so as well. She may not make it (sorry) but at least give it a try. The grass is not a good idea as they don't have grit yet. I am not an expert however, so others may chime in.

 

[ParrotsNPullets]

It's Timothy hay I put in there mixed with their feed to add traction to the newspaper, but yeah I don't plan on keeping it in there after tomorrow anyways, I just had to cover the pine shavings in the beginning so they didn't scarf those down. Paper towels would be a lot better though, thanks for the suggestion, I'll put some in there when they wake up (most are ZzZzzZzz).

I have some vitamin-electrolyte water supplement I've added to their waterers and mixed some into the sugar water for my EE... from what I have been able to find on these forums it's not looking too good for the poor little thing but I'm still going to give it my best.

 

[froggie71]

first of all Congrats on the new babies and Happy Birthday! I would agree not to have them on newspaper. It looks pretty exposed even with the bit of hay on top. It would be better to have paper towels covering the wood chips. As for the weak EE a bit of sugar water is good, but electrolytes are better. Maybe even give Poly-vi-sol vitamins without iron. That should help strengthen the little one. Keep us posted on how they are doing.

 

[ParrotsNPullets]

The EE is starting to puke regularly and gargles almost after drinking with bubbles in his mouth, for some reason things don't want to stay in his crop. He didn't eat a thing since he came out of the box so there isn't any food blockage. He pooped for the first time I've seen which is good, but there wasn't much to it. His eye is getting really clogged up, I clean it off and it's 1/2 covered in mucous in 5 minutes. He's drinking as much as he can. This little guy has some fight in him but I don't know how long I want to let him suffer. If he's not looking any better in the morning I might just have to put the poor guy down.

 

[HerbiLady]

Quote:
Awww, I'm sorry about the little EE chick! Hopefully it will pass peacefully instead of the alternative. Sounds like something's just not right with it out of the gate

They seem so fragile and it's a wonder that as many survive the shipping as they do! Pretty amazing little creatures.

They are all cute ~ congrats on all the healthy little ones! I wish mine were still that cute...10 days later and they're looking pretty scraggly with all their new feathers and developing some annoying habits!

I used paper toweling for the first few days till I couldn't keep up with the poops anymore and then I switched to a kind of stiff, brown shredded paper bedding I got on clearance awhile ago at a petshop which worked beautifully for them until I put them into the bigger brooder Saturday. I couldn't afford to fill that thing with the small bags of paper...it was pricey but I think great for small chicks!

 

[tinychicky]

sounds like sour crop to me... you can try giving it some olive oil soaked bread and making sure it has access to water at all times, but beyond that, there is not much you can do... good luck!