Two days later, two chicks starting showing respiratory problems ... and they both died. How sad that we were off to a bad start! Then, two more chicks started showing respiratory problems and all of my FB chicken fans jumped in with suggestions and support and help me through this new journey.
I thought maybe the brooder in the garage was too cold even with the heat lamp going because our temperatures were in the 30's and so I brought the brooder in the house and added water soluble antibiotics to their water. Within one day ... NO MORE SYMPTOMS!
I replaced the two chicks we lost with two more to bring our numbers back up to six girls, pictured here at nine days old.
I added two new chicks ... Newbie 1 (Camilla) and Newbie 2 (Sooty)
A week later when I went to the feed store to get more feed (they really rip through feed), the Buff Orpington chicks were in ... and of course, I couldn't resist!
So now we were up to eight chicks and the problems began again because I dropped the two newcomers into an already established brooder with a pecking order and within an hour the two new Orp girls were being pecked and walked on by the six Black Australorps at three weeks old, with Camilla leading the flock in this behavior.
I'm thinking Camilla is a ROO ... she's top bird, struts, stands tall and displays an early comb!
Back to the feed store ... another brooder (75 gallon resin water trough), water and food container and heat lamp. Then I put four birds in each brooder, and finally there was peace ... but my work load had also doubled!
THE ONE THING NOBODY WRITES ABOUT IN CHICKEN BOOKS IS ... chickens make a lot of dust! No really, I mean a lot!!! Or maybe I just missed that page! They were in my office for two weeks with me constantly cleaning. Chickens really do belong outside! If you have allergy problems or breathing problems of any kind, like asthma ... I'd advise you not entertaining the idea of raising chicks in the house.
Bye girls ... I'll miss your sweet little peeps in my office ...
but it's time for you to GRADUATE to the brooder in the garage.
Serious dust ... with serious cleaning to follow!
REPURPOSED bathroom cabinet from the dump turned into a quick brooder! $$$avings!!!
The two 75 gallon resin water troughs that were brooders will now be used as garden beds!
The seven girls in the new brooder first ... Camilla was added an hour later
Yes ... today was the perfect day for a ...
A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY FB CHICKEN FANS FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT
I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!!!
UPDATE JUST AFTER POSTING THIS BLOG
I had to pull said suspect rooster, Camilla, from the brooder. She/he continued the same behavior as last time and had cornered both Buff Orp chicks, was pecking them in the head and wouldn't allow them to the water or feeder. She/he was far more agressive with them in the brooder even though I introduced her/him last to the flock. As soon as I pulled her/him from the brooder ... there was instantly peace in the brooder again!
Sorry Dude or Dudette ... but I gotta find you a new home!
04/13/12 UPDATE / OTHER CHICKEN LEARNIN'S
1. Your hands get really scratched up by little chicken claws.
2. Not all chicks thrive, no matter what you do.
3. We lost our Buff Orpington, Bella ... never thrived.
4. Chicks grow a lot faster than you can imagine.
5. Dust baths cause a party in the brooders!
6. Not all poo looks alike.
7. All of our chickens have different personalities.
8. The bigger the chicks get the higher the water and feeders have to go.
9. It's a good idea to have the coop built BEFORE you bring chicks home.
10. Once they know your voice ... they're sure to greet you with happy little songs.
11. Each chick loves one on one time ... so TV time is a good time to hang out together.
12. Chicken poo anywhere and everywhere!
13. Designate a particular apron to be your chicken apron to protect your clothes.
14. When handling the chicks, touch them all over and don't just pet them.
15. You really can hear a chicken breath when it's up close to you.
16. Chickens tend to want to peck at glasses on your nose or earrings in your ears.
17. Some chicks love to snuggle way more than others.
18. I'm learning to strengthen their immune systems rather than medicating for everything.
19. I put two capfuls of raw apple cider vinegar in a gallon of water for their drinking trough.
20. I feed the girls their mash by hand so they know good things come from me.
21. Mash = their food + wetted with their drinking water + a spoon of natural yogurt.
22. Now that they're in the coop ... it's sometimes not so easy to get them in at night.
23. Roos can be overly bossy and peck the hens in the head when they aren't doing what they're told.
24. They have no common sense ... they stay outdoors all day ... even when it's hailing!
25. Some chickens consider you their own personal perch!
26. The roo (Gonzo The Crazy) is first out in the morning and last in at night.
22. Now that they're in the coop ... it's sometimes not so easy to get them in at night.
23. Roos can be overly bossy and peck the hens in the head when they aren't doing what they're told.
24. They have no common sense ... they stay outdoors all day ... even when it's hailing!
25. Some chickens consider you their own personal perch!
26. The roo (Gonzo The Crazy) is first out in the morning and last in at night.
27. They even lay in order of their pecking order!
Here's Gonzo with his favorite hen, Nugget, next to him, then Ruth and Sooty.
All four of them were brooder mates.
Smudgen and Noodle are not allowed to lay with them, but they can lay near by.
4 comments:
Yay for graduation!! :)
Yes, they are a dusty, chirping mess, but oh so adorable! Good luck on the coop, I hope the sun shines for you this weekend.
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poor ol Dude~~I betch!!! :)
Can't wait til the egg layin party!!
Before you know it, they'll be teenagers!
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