What hath God wrought/or what has Jimmy done???

[BigBlueHen53]

And though it's been mentioned, don't forget the grit. They can starrve to death without it. Chickens have no stomachs, the silly things, and no teeth! They have gizzards, a tough muscle that, when it contains grit, uses that grit to grind their food into digestible bits. Aren't you glad you don't have to eat gravel to survive? But we, their kind and loving keepers, do have to supply it for them. They can have my share.

 

[Cyprus]

And though it's been mentioned, don't forget the grit. They can starrve to death without it. Chickens have no stomachs, the silly things, and no teeth! They have gizzards, a tough muscle that, when it contains grit, uses that grit to grind their food into digestible bits. Aren't you glad you don't have to eat gravel to survive? But we, their kind and loving keepers, do have to supply it for them. They can have my share.

Chickens do have stomachs. The proventriculus is the gastric stomach. However, it does little nutrient absorption. The bulk of digestion happens in the small intestine.

 

[NHMountainMan]

What a kind response! I truly appreciate your genuine thoughtfulness! Thank you.

I also deal with auto immune illness, and know how stress can impact your immune system and cause flares. For what it's worth, I found that the raw wildflower honey I collect from my honeybees has proven to be a great boost to my immune system. The key is that it must be local honey - collected from flowers / pollen / nectar from flowers near your home.
Again - be well. And good luck with the chicks.

 

[Mvan42]

Sorry if I missed it. How big is your coop/run. How may birds do you have all together? Are they over crowded? This can cause the older on s to not allow the younger ones to get any food and become malnutrition. I agree though treating with corid won’t hurt. Extra food and water available could help also.

 

[Mylied]

My first thought was parasites too. Might be able to drop off a fresh fecal sample to your vet to know for sure what you're dealing with. That'd be cheaper than a vet visit. Make sure it comes from one of the sickly birds. If you happen to have a microscope, it's pretty easy to do your own fecal exam. https://fiascofarm.com/goats/fecals.htm

I also wasn't clear, did you feed once a day or have feed available at all times?

 

[Ted_Harrell]

Yeah the scratch grains are mostly corn which is like candy. X2 on the treatments mentioned above. its hard to beat a commercial starter feed for chicks and some folks recommend medicated. If you treat them for coccidiosis then get un-medicated feed. Good luck with your babies...

 

[JeremiahLee]

That is a really good idea! It is challenging with different age groups and unless you are really up on nutrition the bag labels are tricky. I think you can get the Corid and All Flock feed at Tractor Supply. Best wishes, keep everyone posted. Take care of you, too!

Thank you so very much. I've actually wondered if anyone ever "bands" their chickens so that they can actually keep track of them (just as they band wildlife to keep track of them)? I think I may have given the wrong idea that some of these are "chicks" and they are not. The roosters are wanting to mate and the hens are not quite the size of the older ones but definitely about as large in height as the adults. One final thought: Should I dust each chicken for mites? Do people do this routinely? Thanks again.

 

[JeremiahLee]

My first thought was parasites too. Might be able to drop off a fresh fecal sample to your vet to know for sure what you're dealing with. That'd be cheaper than a vet visit. Make sure it comes from one of the sickly birds. If you happen to have a microscope, it's pretty easy to do your own fecal exam. https://fiascofarm.com/goats/fecals.htm

I also wasn't clear, did you feed once a day or have feed available at all times?

I feed in the morning and they forage the rest of the day. But when I feed them, I really feed them a lot! I've felt that I'm feeding too much, but, to be as educated as I am, I'm now embarrassed that I might have missed the boat on this. You know, it takes some humility to admit that you've messed up. I'm quite humble. Thank you so much.

 

[Ted_Harrell]

Tractor supply and most ag supply places sell the plastic colored bands that snap onto their legs. That is what I use with my hens. They come in about 3 different sizes.

 

[JeremiahLee]

Tractor supply and most ag supply places sell the plastic colored bands that snap onto their legs. That is what I use with my hens. They come in about 3 different sizes.

Oh thank you so much. It would help me know which hens are still laying, too. You know, it's hard counting moving targets, lol.