What I have done today........

CherishHolland

Songster
6 Years
Apr 16, 2013
640
47
128
Canyon Texas
I was perusing cl a couple weeks ago and came across an ad that read chickens and coop $150 bucks I looked at the pictures and it was of 4 chickens in this little wooden box wrapped in chicken wire and that is what they were calling a coop.

I emailed and said I feel so sorry that you have those 8 week old chickens in that tiny little tractor,and I shot them a low balled offer of $25,thinking I wouldn't hear back from them for a couple of weeks I didn't, then the beginning of this week I received an email.

They accepted my offer and asked if I could pick them up today. I arrive at the house and the lady leads me out to where the chickens were being kept. I walk up to see 4 small chickens that are supposed to be almost 4 months old.

I sent my son to get the carrier and we start loading them up,as I lift the lid to the tractor I am met with this overwhelming stench.

I look down and I swear they had to be standing in at least 4-6 inches of poop. I am reaching in talking to them I pick up the first one and all I feel is the poor roosters breast bone, I stop look at the lady and asked her where the water and food was located. She explained to me that she knows she hasn't been taking care of them like she is supposed to,I bite my tongue to avoid saying something nasty and continue loading the rest into the carrier.

Every chicken is severely under weight. We load up the tractor and the chickens and head back to the house on the way there I called my 16 year old DD and asked her to get me the wormer,the poultry dust, the vitamins and electrolytes out.

I also request for her to get me the bath totes out because these chickens were covered in so much poo and they were beyond stink stank stunk! We arrive home and upon bring them in I immediately get to setting up the bathing station,while my daughter is getting the water doctored up. I take the first RIR out and give him a quick rub down of the body looking for defects other than the low body weight and then in he goes into the tub at first he was freaked but once I started washing his feathers he just relaxed and ate it up! Same story for the other 3,the poor leghorns had so much poo on their feathers and feet but enjoyed the whole spa process. We get them washed up and blow dried. They are already looking better and smelling better. We dusted them and showed them where the food and water is set up.

I am about to worm them when I notice the poop is runny and way off color and Oh my golly did it stink,it was way worse than any pb poo I have smelt. It actually gagged me. I called my husband asked him to pick up some corrid for me because these poor guys look like they have cocci. So DH gets home with the corrid and I now have them on treatment and their poos are already looking better,they have all perked up and are actually walking around the room they are in they are still unsure on how to react to all the space they are in right now. I gave them some scrambled egg and molasses mixed into their feed and am constantly encouraging them to drink. I even hear chirping and tweeting,and they are walking around with their tails held up.

I seriously wanted to say something horrible when the lady told me oh they were so cute as chicks. I got home and cried at how ignorant some people can be,so I may be out some money but it was definitely worth the rescue because I can give these chickens the life they deserve. Their old conditions bordered those of battery hens but here they will have a nice big coop and a huge run to be a chicken in,I just hope once the cocci clears they will start to put on weight!

Now for some pictures of them after their bath!



 
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That was very good of you to save those birds. Sounds like it was a whole family effort. These birds are very lucky to have you.

Good save!
thumbsup.gif
 
Thank You. All the kids are on board on the amount of T.L.C. it is going to take to get these chickens back in full glory. I fear though that may be stunted growth wise due to being in that tiny tractor. It is the size I would put 2 week old chicks in to have outside time,not have darn near 4 month old teens in,poor babies are so used to being in there they were so scared to come out of the corner of the room that they are housing in for the time being.
 

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