Utah!

[ElkMtnCove]

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Feeling kind down & discouraged today - we had 2 weeks of no problems & now we've lost two chicks in a 3 day span. One was almost 2wks old, the other was a week old. Feeling sad about both losses


So sorry. It's hard and it does hurt. Maybe some aren't sad, but many of us are. They have little personalities and they're just starting out. Again, sorry.

Do you hv any electrolytes/vitamins (quik chik)? If not, I'd be happy to give you some, I have plenty.


As for those thinking of participating in the tour, I guess I'm a nervous nelly. One I don't like strangers knowing how to get in my backyard and what it looks like. Second, don't let anyone use the bathrm, even if they got a kid jumping up and down. I'm just not a very trustful person with total strangers anymore (with good reasons).

I would say 99% of the people trotting around looking at chickens & coops are doing just that and loving it and appreciating the sharing (I would like to be one of them),

but it just takes one friend that is brought along that is an opportuntistic...

 

[ElkMtnCove]

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So cute. I love how they can go from running to zonked in nothing flat. I don't like it when they sleep all sprawled out dead like tho, I'd always jiggle my brooder gently to make them change positions.

But the answer's still NO, I don't need any more chicks, sorry. I did try putting my smallest silkie in with Betsy (husband is getting quite antsy to get her out of the house) and she about killed the little thing. She has learned to jailbreak to go lay eggs in the big fluffy dog bed. I got pics but need a video of her announcing the egg and then I'll post.

When you hatch w/a brooder do they think you're "Mom" like ducks do?

 

[SIMPleChick]

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How do you tell at just 5 wks?

Thanks!

This year, it seems half of the chicks I got have turned into boys! SO I have seen a lot of "signs" and sold a lot of roos. Boo's comb has turned BRIGHT red and it's getting HUGE! On top of being larger than his sister, feathering slower, legs are MUCH thicker, etc...All of my other EE girls still have small combs. Even the 11 wek old. I bought Boo and BG together, same age, same hatchery, and look at the difference.....I know it may seem early for some breeds but Boo is definatly a boy the way he has developed and they way he acts. Roo all the way! So here is Boo at 5 weeks, will be 6 this next week, and BG, Boo's sister, the SAME age ((So NO....there is NO string or "coin" involved...HAHA, so funny...))

SOOO......Boo STILL needs a good home!!! Because he still is a boy!

 

[PacsMan]

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Um, yeah. Sure. (snicker)...

I dunno, they just eat and poop, that's all I know.

 

[ElkMtnCove]

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How do you tell at just 5 wks?

Thanks!

This year, it seems half of the chicks I got have turned into boys! SO I have seen a lot of "signs" and sold a lot of roos. Boo's comb has turned BRIGHT red and it's getting HUGE! On top of being larger than his sister, feathering slower, legs are MUCH thicker, etc...All of my other EE girls still have small combs. Even the 11 wek old. I bought Boo and BG together, same age, same hatchery, and look at the difference.....I know it may seem early for some breeds but Boo is definatly a boy the way he has developed and they way he acts. Roo all the way! So here is Boo at 5 weeks, will be 6 this next week, and BG, Boo's sister, the SAME age ((So NO....there is NO string or "coin" involved...HAHA, so funny...))
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/82252_aa3.jpeg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/82252_aa.jpeg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/82252_aa2.jpeg
SOOO......Boo STILL needs a good home!!! Because he still is a boy!

Hmmm... I think I have a couple roos too then. I ordered two silver spangled hamburg pullets, and one's probably a roo...and 3 Eqyptian Fays that I know one is a roo (he crow'd at 5 wks). I'm curious -- did you buy fm IFA? I'm beginning to think they order straight run and then call them pullets. So many on IFA "crowing pullets" on KSL.... My IFA purchase a couple years ago was about 30% pullet/roos. This yr's order is fm McMurray and %-wise they are still pretty much in the 95% pullet ratio.

Thanks for the pic and the explanation! Wish I could help you out by taking him by I'm at my chicken max! ok....beyond my chicken max, don't know how that happened!

 

[SIMPleChick]

LOL! I understand the "MAX" part! We were going to only get 4 and ended up with 12 now but have sold 5 others...Yes, I got them from IFA! My husband and I have said MANY times now that we think they have been selling straight runs as pullets! But I did get these 2 EE, in the pics, from Cal Ranch and 50/50, I end up with one boy and one girl from their pullet bin. I think when I got one of each of 2 of each at different times I increased my risk of getting that 5-10% of cockerels that slip through the sexing process. With my cockerels they have sterted getting RED between 2-4 weeks and not just a little red, a LOT red with big waddle growth. My EE's don't really get waddles though...I think that is just the breed. I have put my boys on BYC's what breed or gender and they have always been right. So get some good clear pics, not like my first few, and post them there, everyone will tell you what you have! And I have sold all of mine on KSL really fast, other than this one, he's been up for a week now. Good luck!!!

 

[Sphinx]

I bought 5 pullets from IFA in Ogden last spring, and all are pullets. So, they worked out for me.

My neighbor bought 8 RIR, but I can't remember if she got them from Cal Ranch or IFA. She's thinking one is a roo. I'm not convinced yet, but, if she is right, that's still a 7/8 accuracy for her.

 

[ElkMtnCove]

So ya'll remember the post/pics of chicks born with a scewed (sp?) beak? The hatchery sent my feedstore one and the little guy was blind too and didn't make it (or I was going to take him).

Anyway... has anyone had it happen 3 months later?? My "chick brooder" is beyond crowded and my husband (that works two jobs) has promised it is THIS weekend they get their new coop. So on nice days my daughter and I hv been taking some of the birds out to free range (supervised by dogs) and we clean the 10x10 "brooder". We give them bird seed bells for entertainment, etc but they are crowded now no doubt and are starting to squablle.

Anyhows... found one of our little quail antwerp belgians that I know didn't arrive like this and hasn't been like this for too long. I can move it back straight easily but it goes right back when I let go. He also has a bump on his head...so I'm thinking injury. Brought him in the house to try antibotics and some peace and quiet. He's in Betsy's pen (who is NOT happy about that). He ate mash this morning, kinda makes a mess but does eat well and is not skinny. Anyone ever had this happen and if so, what to do?

Also funny story to go with... so now I hv no place to put Betsy the silkie/dog. So I think "OH! I'll just stick her in the dog pen". She could see Mr. Chicken in "her house" and wasn't happy so I put in our chihuahua that adores her. All went well, so I thought.

I checked on them after a movie and my dog had licked Betsy till her head was a soaking mess (it went all Mohawk like) and had thoroughly cleaned her fluffy feet, also soaking wet. Betsy was cold and not thrilled, I can't believe she didn't put up a fight.

 

[the-bird-man]

i too know a lot of people who have bought pullets that some turned out to be roos. i know stores are not perfect and they all have problems but some stores have more problems than others. it could be as simple as a kid holding a chick and putting it back in the wrong bin. i wont buy chicks because i tend to get attached to animals and would hate if one of the girls turned out to be a boy. from talking to people it seems ifa may be having a little more problems with chicks than other stores and it kinda surprises me because cal-ranch has all the open bins that gives kids easy access to the chicks and i can see chicks being put in the wrong bin on accident

 

[hen-thusiast]

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Poor Betsy. I can just imagine what at dog cleaned silkie looks like. Too bad you don't have a picture.

As for your quail, I'm assuming it's just his upper or lower beak? Like a scissor beak? I think scissor beaks can get worse as the bird ages and then finally quits progressing. So I guess it could be either, however, I'd think injury too if it has a bump on its head.