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Post by violajack on Apr 15, 2020 12:57:24 GMT -6
And now I'm wearing a chick in a bandanna around my neck. I changed out their litter today and one was definitely weaker. She didn't open her eyes much and wouldn't eat or drink when I put her beak in. All the others ran over to the food as soon as I put them all back in. I've read some about reviving weak chicks. What do you guys do with a weak one? I don't have any of the stuff like the NutriGro or whatever other stuff I've read about. We don't even have eggs right now for me to give her egg yolk. I have some feed soaking in milk right to offer her. Is there anything else I can do, or is it just normal to lose a weak one here and there?
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Speedy
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Post by Speedy on Apr 15, 2020 14:33:39 GMT -6
violajack, geese are also amazing alert birds. They just can be a little nasty sometimes lol
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Post by violajack on Apr 15, 2020 14:37:57 GMT -6
violajack , geese are also amazing alert birds. They just can be a little nasty sometimes lol A geese couple has moved in across the street from us. They were up on our roof a few days ago and now they seem to be enjoying the standing water in the field across the street. I do not want geese living in my yard.
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Speedy
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Post by Speedy on Apr 15, 2020 14:38:34 GMT -6
violajack , geese are also amazing alert birds. They just can be a little nasty sometimes lol A geese couple has moved in across the street from us. They were up on our roof a few days ago and now they seem to be enjoying the standing water in the field across the street. I do not want geese living in my yard. Fair enough XD
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Apr 15, 2020 15:07:18 GMT -6
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Post by niko8083 on Apr 15, 2020 15:07:18 GMT -6
And now I'm wearing a chick in a bandanna around my neck. I changed out their litter today and one was definitely weaker. She didn't open her eyes much and wouldn't eat or drink when I put her beak in. All the others ran over to the food as soon as I put them all back in. I've read some about reviving weak chicks. What do you guys do with a weak one? I don't have any of the stuff like the NutriGro or whatever other stuff I've read about. We don't even have eggs right now for me to give her egg yolk. I have some feed soaking in milk right to offer her. Is there anything else I can do, or is it just normal to lose a weak one here and there? I’ve read you can add some sugar or molasses to their water to give them a little calorie boost. Check for pasty butt if you haven’t. I had one that I needed to clean this morning, she was still acting fine thankfully.
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Post by violajack on Apr 15, 2020 15:24:36 GMT -6
No pasty butt, checked them all for good measure. She's just little and had been getting weak since last night now that I think about how she was sleeping with her wings drooping. The other 5 are getting so active, and she just didn't. She's slowing down more and more and I've offered softened feed, but she won't take anything, won't open her beak. I think she'll pass soon. She's tucked in my bra now, so at least she'll be warm. The other 5 are doing really well though.
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Apr 15, 2020 16:44:42 GMT -6
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Post by niko8083 on Apr 15, 2020 16:44:42 GMT -6
No pasty butt, checked them all for good measure. She's just little and had been getting weak since last night now that I think about how she was sleeping with her wings drooping. The other 5 are getting so active, and she just didn't. She's slowing down more and more and I've offered softened feed, but she won't take anything, won't open her beak. I think she'll pass soon. She's tucked in my bra now, so at least she'll be warm. The other 5 are doing really well though. I’m sorry. That sucks. I’ve been told by friends that they are so fragile at this age.
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Post by violajack on Apr 15, 2020 16:58:59 GMT -6
I read enough before hand to know that losing chicks in the early days was not uncommon. She passed about half an hour ago. My husband was a little shocked when I mentioned the concept of getting a few spares when we were at Tractor Supply, but here we are. The kids took it well. We've always been very matter of fact in our approach to death. N, my sensitive child looked a little sad and asked if we could go back and get another one. They only come in 6 packs, so I told him if the unsexed chick turns out to be a hen, we'll find a rooster somewhere to add to the flock.
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Post by violajack on Apr 15, 2020 17:02:41 GMT -6
It's so hard to get a picture of them. Here's the other 5.
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milano
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Post by milano on Apr 15, 2020 17:08:55 GMT -6
Sorry for your chick loss violajack. They sure are cute!
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Post by violajack on Apr 16, 2020 7:26:51 GMT -6
And now I have one with a swollen crop. After much reading, I have massaged it a few times and it seems to be improving. When I first watched them this morning, she only went for water. After some massage, she went for a little bit of feed. After more massage, she went for more feed. Still not eating as much as the other 4, but way better. I may try to get some olive oil in her later if it still has stuff in it. I'm already considering going back for another 6 pack. I mean, 4 chickens just sounds like not nearly enough chickens, right? Though I think she'll be okay and I'll have 5 and really just need to find a rooster somewhere. It'd be much more fun to go back and pick up a six pack of straight run chicks. But what do you do it you end up with more than one rooster?
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milano
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Post by milano on Apr 16, 2020 9:11:10 GMT -6
And now I have one with a swollen crop. After much reading, I have massaged it a few times and it seems to be improving. When I first watched them this morning, she only went for water. After some massage, she went for a little bit of feed. After more massage, she went for more feed. Still not eating as much as the other 4, but way better. I may try to get some olive oil in her later if it still has stuff in it. I'm already considering going back for another 6 pack. I mean, 4 chickens just sounds like not nearly enough chickens, right? Though I think she'll be okay and I'll have 5 and really just need to find a rooster somewhere. It'd be much more fun to go back and pick up a six pack of straight run chicks. But what do you do it you end up with more than one rooster? Oh I see you've figured out chicken math. Sometimes 2 roosters can live together without issue. We had 2 that got along just fine. But that's not always the case so you'll need a back-up plan if they don't get along, and I wouldn't even try more than 2. Some areas have rooster round-up where you can take extra roosters and they'll either re-home them or....take care of them for you.
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Post by violajack on Apr 16, 2020 11:17:39 GMT -6
She's doing much better and is going for more feed and less water, much like the other chicks. I think 5 chickens may be enough chickens for now.
For now.
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milano
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Post by milano on Apr 16, 2020 15:58:44 GMT -6
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Speedy
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Post by Speedy on Apr 16, 2020 16:25:41 GMT -6
Soooo fluffy!
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tj
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Apr 16, 2020 17:12:23 GMT -6
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Post by tj on Apr 16, 2020 17:12:23 GMT -6
milano whose hand is holding that ducky? For scale purposes. They are so dang cute. I wish my dog wouldn’t eat any and all birds.
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nikkipal
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Apr 16, 2020 17:27:12 GMT -6
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Post by nikkipal on Apr 16, 2020 17:27:12 GMT -6
I’m just here to say I’m really jealous of the chicken people right now bc eggs are selling out. We did grocery delivery and the only eggs at the store were quail eggs. Fortunately, I snagged a few at Walgreens. I’ve always liked the idea of chickens, but— 1. I’m lazy. And 2. My HOA is a bitch. Please keep posting all the floofy pics though. Love it.
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milano
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Post by milano on Apr 16, 2020 17:41:10 GMT -6
milano whose hand is holding that ducky? For scale purposes. They are so dang cute. I wish my dog wouldn’t eat any and all birds. my hand! My dog is so interested in them, I keep having to chase her out of the room. She wouldn't eat them though, I have literally seen her watch a mouse run across the floor in front of her and she didn't move.
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milano
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Post by milano on Apr 16, 2020 17:42:24 GMT -6
I’m just here to say I’m really jealous of the chicken people right now bc eggs are selling out. We did grocery delivery and the only eggs at the store were quail eggs. Fortunately, I snagged a few at Walgreens. I’ve always liked the idea of chickens, but— 1. I’m lazy. And 2. My HOA is a bitch. Please keep posting all the floofy pics though. Love it. I wish mailing eggs were possible because I have a huge pile on my counter, of duck and chicken eggs. It's literally a pile. I could just fill a box for you! I need to start organizing them better now that everyone is laying again.
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Post by ovenrack on Apr 16, 2020 18:34:27 GMT -6
I’m just here to say I’m really jealous of the chicken people right now bc eggs are selling out. We did grocery delivery and the only eggs at the store were quail eggs. Fortunately, I snagged a few at Walgreens. I’ve always liked the idea of chickens, but— 1. I’m lazy. And 2. My HOA is a bitch. Please keep posting all the floofy pics though. Love it. I wish mailing eggs were possible because I have a huge pile on my counter, of duck and chicken eggs. It's literally a pile. I could just fill a box for you! I need to start organizing them better now that everyone is laying again. I have started giving away our extras, so now I'm low again. It's apparently really hard to get eggs!
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Post by violajack on Apr 16, 2020 18:55:28 GMT -6
Oh man, you're going to make me want ducks. I have to say, having duck eggs would be pretty cool. They were already sold out of ducks when we got the chickens. Do you house them together, or do they get their own coop? Or where do ducks even go at night?
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milano
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Post by milano on Apr 16, 2020 19:57:12 GMT -6
Oh man, you're going to make me want ducks. I have to say, having duck eggs would be pretty cool. They were already sold out of ducks when we got the chickens. Do you house them together, or do they get their own coop? Or where do ducks even go at night? I love watching my ducks, they are hilarious. We have a pretty decent sized pond that's fenced in so they have their own area to wander and forage and swim. Their house is in there and we lock them up tight at night, separate from the chickens. They do all congregate at the fence sometimes though and socialize- and in the warmer months my ducks will fly over the fence into the yard if they get impatient with us to feed them and they wander with the chickens. We are currently designing a new duck house/run that will be completed by the time the babies are ready to join the older ducks- probably early June.
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milano
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Post by milano on Apr 16, 2020 19:58:07 GMT -6
I can't with their little faces.
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DGM
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Apr 16, 2020 21:28:24 GMT -6
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Post by DGM on Apr 16, 2020 21:28:24 GMT -6
My 2 year old just saw that pic and said quack quack. I started panicking what was I going to say if he asked whose duck? Then I LOL and realized I'd say Alyssa
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Post by violajack on Apr 17, 2020 5:56:20 GMT -6
Little miss swollen crop had pasty butt this morning and a much smaller, softer crop. I hope that means whatever thing she had is working its way though her system and not that she has issues. She's noticeably smaller than the other four.
I introduced chicken math to my husband last night while we figured out that best case, we're looking at 2 dozen eggs a week, which is enough for our family. But extended family is all excited about having fresh eggs too, so if we want enough eggs to share, we need moar chickins.
From what I've read, I should be able to add more as long as my first is under 2 weeks old. Good thing we haven't picked out a coop yet. There's a local place that has bigger shed style coops in stock on their lot and will deliver. Though coops seem to be selling just as fast as toilet paper now.
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Post by niko8083 on Apr 17, 2020 6:56:29 GMT -6
Dose of cuteness this morning. 5 of the 8. Clarabelle and Daisy Penny Rosie Elsa
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milano
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Post by milano on Apr 17, 2020 6:58:42 GMT -6
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milano
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Post by milano on Apr 17, 2020 7:04:54 GMT -6
Little miss swollen crop had pasty butt this morning and a much smaller, softer crop. I hope that means whatever thing she had is working its way though her system and not that she has issues. She's noticeably smaller than the other four. I introduced chicken math to my husband last night while we figured out that best case, we're looking at 2 dozen eggs a week, which is enough for our family. But extended family is all excited about having fresh eggs too, so if we want enough eggs to share, we need moar chickins. From what I've read, I should be able to add more as long as my first is under 2 weeks old. Good thing we haven't picked out a coop yet. There's a local place that has bigger shed style coops in stock on their lot and will deliver. Though coops seem to be selling just as fast as toilet paper now. Yes, everyone will want eggs! Our 7 chickens lay enough to keep us (4 people) with enough and we can give a dozen away here and there. Mine like to play egg hunt though and lay them all over the barn so sometimes we find a pile of 10 or so that we have to throw away,. If they actually used their nesting boxes we would probably need to give even more away. If you think you will want more I would get them now, once I was done with chick raising I said "never again" haha. It is fun but just takes so much time for so many weeks! Much easier to raise a whole batch all at once. Plus, chickens aren't real hardy so you always have the risk of losing some due to predators, sickness, etc. Extras are good.
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Post by violajack on Apr 17, 2020 16:50:48 GMT -6
Little yellow stripe has kept her butt clean all day and is eating and running around and keeping up just fine, so it looks like she'll be okay.
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Post by violajack on Apr 21, 2020 14:17:04 GMT -6
I ordered my coop yesterday. I found a local guy who makes a shed style coop that I liked and he had availability to make one for me by late May. The chicks should be feathered and ready to move out the first week of June. We have back up plans in case they outgrow their crate before the coop is ready.
I need advice on placement, there are three potential places to put it in the yard:
1. By the house Pros - access to power in case we want a coop heater and automatic door (without having to deal with a solar set up). Chickens will be very close for tending during winter and inclement weather. There's a lot of cover from bushes, plants, and a small tree to protect from aerial predators. Cons - it's a small patch of grass in the middle of a bunch of mulched flower beds (mostly bushes and roses) and I would have to attempt to chicken proof the beds with deer netting, or abandon the mulch to being permanently kicked around. We'd have to take out a section of fencing to move the coop into place.
2. In the near part of the yard Pros - very easy to drop the coop into the yard from the driveway as we have a removeable section of fence there. Still in easy view from the house and nearby for winter tending. Cons - It's a little more in the middle of the kids' play area than I'd like. No power. Very near a section of yard that floods easily in heavy rain.
3. The far side of the yard Pros - the grass out there is already patchy and full of weeds, if I felt the need to build an enclosed run, I wouldn't feel bad about them destroying the grass out there. I was hoping they'd hang out there and poop a lot and use the patchy parts for dust bathing. Cons - It'll be much harder to get the coop out there, though we may be able to drag it out using the riding mower. It's farthest from the house for tending in bad weather. I can't easily see it from the house. It's really open out there, with a line of trees beyond the fence and I'm worried they'd jump the fence to hide in the trees rather than staying nicely in our yard. No power.
Those ducklings are awfully cute. I'd be really tempted to get ducks if we could set up a more permanent body of water than the occasional standing water after a hard rain.
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