What would you tell the newbie you?

[DawnMarie64]

I would tell Newbie Me to stay out of the Emergencies section of BYC until and only If I had one and needed assistance or information. NOT BEFORE!

I would tell Newbie Me that chicks fall asleep in "dead chick" positions, and to ALWAYS tap the side of the brooder to wake them up when you check on them and believe you've killed them all somehow. Really no need to have a heart attack.

I would tell Newbie Me there's no need to have a(nother) heart attack when a chicken or even a chick has a siezure, kicking legs and flapping in the dirt or in the brooder pine shavings. Not a siezure - that's dust-bathing and very pleasurable for the birds.

I would also tell Newbie Me to keep Corrid powder on hand at all times. When you realize you have sick birds, it will be late on the day before a long holiday weekend and if you didn't have it on hand, the delay in treating your flock could have deadly consequences. Ask me how I know this.

Okay, I give........... How do you know this?

 

[gryeyes]

I would also tell Newbie Me to keep Corrid powder on hand at all times. When you realize you have sick birds, it will be late on the day before a long holiday weekend and if you didn't have it on hand, the delay in treating your flock could have deadly consequences. Ask me how I know this.

Okay, I give........... How do you know this?

It was intended to be a rhetorical question.

But here goes: I lost ten chickens in a coccidosis outbreak. My work hours were 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Monday through Friday. In the winter months, I never got to actually spend daylight hours with my flock until the weekends. Mostly, during the week, I filled feeders, refilled waterers, and counted roosting birds. So, November 2010, I got off work the night before Thanksgiving for a four day weekend. Just like all the feed & supply stores. Friday, I found a near dead 10 week old chicken and a couple more young birds "looking poorly." by Monday, 7 were dead and three more died within the next day or two, although I got the Corrid into them early Monday morning.

Chickens inherently hide symptoms of illness or injury as much as possible, so they can be quite sick before you see it.

It is one reason I am so glad I'm retired and can make a visual health check of everybody in the flock every day.

 

[Murphy212]

Ditto on getting the coop ready now. They grow really really fast and will outgrow their brooder, a second brooder, and if the coop is not ready.....well, where do you put them? If I had to do it over, I would have the coop in place and the run completely built and secured BEFORE I even got in the car to go pick up the chicks. I spent way to much money re-doing things that could have, should have been done before the chicks arrived.
Also, do relax and enjoy the experience. Make sure they have water, food, a safe, secure home, plenty of room in both the coop and run, and the rest will fall into place.

 

[SobbaChickens]

I would tell Newbie Me there's no need to have a(nother) heart attack when a chicken or even a chick has a siezure, kicking legs and flapping in the dirt or in the brooder pine shavings. Not a siezure - that's dust-bathing and very pleasurable for the birds.

guilty

 

[ChickenZombies]

I would have told the newbie me...
Calm Down!!! *hahaha*

 

[mithious]

medicated fee is for
Coccidiosis

its can and will kill your birds if they get it... there are treatments for it but medicated feed is a good start and its all i give mine for it... i did vaccinate for Marek's though

It says if it's medicated right on the feed bag and is the same medication, corrid, but at a lower dosage, so your birds can build an immunity to the cocci...young birds are susceptible, even if they aren't outside. It can be tracked in on your shoes, or your hands, by simply handling a feed bag...and I agree with the Marek's vaccination also, most hatcheries don't vaccinate for it, if they do, they usually put it on their website that they do...never assume they are!!!