Who is with me?

[riqui1]

That's great that he is improving! Hopefully that success keeps up!!

You know, we have a 3-car garage and my husband hogs up 2 bays of it!! I think that I should be able to "convince" him to give up a wee bit of space...and there is a box/crate thing out there that would probably be perfect for this, with a bit of altering! Thank you, WWD, I hadn't even thought of the roll of screen that I have in the pantry!!

My guinea eggs arrived today! For some reason, the sub driver decided to smash TWO BOXES into my mailbox, even though they usually bring my boxes right to my door. I lost an egg and I have a small idea that it was due to that cramming! Anyhow, 15 eggs will be going into the incubator tomorrow afternoon. This gives the guineas a hatch date of right about the 9th (28 days) and the silkies a hatch date of about the 6th (21 days). I should be pulling silkies out to put them in the brooder right about the time the guineas start to show themselves!

 

[countrybum]

Riqui, My first question is how big is your coop?

This is what I use as a brooder after a week of being in the house, but when room runs out I divide it in 1/2 and it becomes the brooder. I usually run 2 heat lamps and everyone does fine. This room is about 5x5.

As you see in this picture, it is a perch, but also use to divide the room and put up a board.

 

[countrybum]

WWD I am sorry to hear about you little chick. But I am sure you can do well with it and it will be a survivor. Good luck.

I just cannot believe how far ahead of me you all get. Then I have to try and catch up.

 

[riqui1]

CB, the coop that I am using right now is 8x10. It isn't finished yet, so I cannot send you any pictures. Being that the eggs aren't even going in until tomorrow, I wasn't stressing it too much. As I think about it, that is rather stupid, as those days tend to fly by...when you are procrastinating!! I have two heat lamps to put into it too; that's why I was thinking that it shouldn't be a problem, as long as I could provide adequate space at the proper temperatures. I think that I have solved the problem though. I did find a crate that I can turn into a brooder and then I will be able to keep them right in the garage. I don't think that they will be able to stay in it too awful long, depending on their size, but at least it is better than shoving them out to the coop...all alone...just a few days after birth!

Remember the chick that I was telling you about that was acting like a maniac and pecking everyone else in the eyes? Now he is lethargic and acting funny and I feel horrible. I tried all of the things that were suggested and even added in small amounts of time outside of the brooder - kept warm though, of course. I put him in a sock, I popped him on his little behind...nothing changed his behaviour. It slowed him down for a minute and then he was right back at it. Last night I was reading an article on chicks that was on a completely unrelated topic and I came across a section that said something about excessive heat making chicks irritable and cannibalistic. I went over and checked my brooder temperature and it was a wee bit high, so I adjusted it and lowered it.

I noticed today (late morning-ish - he was fine earlier) that he was sleeping. I noticed later that he was still sleeping... He just lies there. If you pick him up, he will open his eyes for a second, peep a few times and then he just goes right back to sleep. I can't get him to stay awake for more than a few seconds. The one time I walked past the brooder, all of the other chicks were sitting on him. All that was sticking out was one wee little leg!!

Did I pop him too hard on his bumm? Did I bake him with too much heat? Suffocate him with the sock? I feel horrible!! I keep telling myself that he ran himself ragged, pecking everyone else, but... I can't figure out what to do for him! I figure that I won't stress it, as he doesn't seem weak, just tired (he will stand, if you stand him up), and I will let him go until morning. Maybe he does just need a good night of rest. Has anyone seen anything like this before - from a menacing face-pecker to a fuzzy lethargic bump?

 

[countrybum]

Well, he could have had problems (mentally) from the get go. Did you check his bottom to make sure it is not crusted over. I hate to say, it does not sound like he is going to make it. I have seen this with my own chicks and usually in a couple days they are gone.

Wishing you luck and truely hope he does pull through.

If the chicks are sleeping away from the lamp they are to hot, if they are directly under and piled on top each other they are to cold. I do not use a heat bulb, due to the outside temps being hot, I use just a regular 52 watt light bulb.

 

[walkswithdog]

He sounds like his problem may have been neurological/chemical. Get him some Karo light syrup, or a drop or two of molasses and see how having some extra energy affects him. If you have any poly vi sol give it twice today. The sock wouldn't have hurt him, hon. Sounds like he had an issue causing his behavior. Good luck...

On the brighter side of life, Puzzle is still alive. Mostly resting and trying to finish absorbing the yolk. He was crushed long before he was ready. He's closer now, I'm not bothering him much he'll get squirmy if he gets to time to come out the sleeping bag. Since he lost most of the shell at the outset, he's bound to have issues from not having a lot to struggle against. Stomp was hurt much worse but was closer to hatch when stomped. I suppose I'm learning a lot from working with both but you wish things went smoother really.

 

[chickie_mama]

Good luck to all of you who are having problems and Good lukc to the ones that are hatching "NORMALLY".

My family and I are going to the mountains today for some much needed "family time". There's a lake for swimming / fishing / paddleboats. Also putt-putt golf. We're taking a picnic so we can spend the ENTIRE day.

I gotta run so I can get everything packed. I'll check back tonight!

Hugs to everyone!

 

[riqui1]

The temperature was high, but it wasn't that high; I know that it wasn't my fault. I just feel horrible. He didn't make it through the night. It was just odd, how he was vicious and then he was fine...and then he was gone. I was trying to give him the poly. I started it late yesterday morning...just because I knew something was up. I never got him to take much of it. I put it right into their water now too though, so it wasn't that he was without. I learned to do that after I had two develop wry neck with my first batch.

On a happier note, my guinea eggs will be going in the bator today. I have yet to hear from the woman with my silkie eggs. They are supposed to be shipped tomorrow, but I don't know if I will be buying any of a different breed.

CM, I hope you have a wonderful family day! Those are hard to get and sooo important!!

WWD, that is great about Puzzle! Keep up the great work!!

 

[walkswithdog]

riqui it's funny how even before you get frank symptoms you get a feeling that something is just not right with some of them. Doesn't always work but often it's there, that instinct that what you are seeing is different somehow.

Puzzle is actually peeping this morning and beginning to struggle against the bag. It's all better than it was. Who knows he might just make it.

I swear the whole stress of hatching starts before they even GET to you... but it's worth it in the long run.

Will they ship in time, will the Postofficegods destroy them, lose them? Incubation may take 21 days or 28 days but the stress starts sooner.

ETA: Puzzle is out of shell, yolk absorbed with a bit of cord left over. Seems to be doing well enough for what's happened to him - GO Puzzle.

 

[countrybum]

Quote:
Don't forget the incubator.

Boy do I have a story to tell as soon as I get some free time. I have been so stupid.