How to raise Backyard Chickens: Re: [CHICKENS-101] When in doubt, try try again.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Re: [CHICKENS-101] When in doubt, try try again.

It depends on the feed if the medicated feed killed the chicks or not. If there is not enough nutrition in the feed, especially if the feed is older feed, if the chick is stressed, the lack of b and cocci med could very well cause chicks nutritional problems and to die. Cocci need b to reproduce and grow. Dumor is putrinas chepest feed.

  Cathryn rainbowsilkiesTM  in  Michigan

    From: Straight <straight6@earthlink.net>
 To: CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com 
 Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2013 8:59 PM
 Subject: [CHICKENS-101] When in doubt, try try again.

Hey, they just don't all make it.  With the billions   of baby chicks that hatch every year, there always will be a certain percentage   that just aren't able to survive in the world.  Not all people babies   make it either, or any other kind.  And a lot of baby chickens die along   the way before they get very old.  And some of them come up with very   creative ways to outsmart you and commit suicide!  Some just sit there   and fade away.  I think they do it intentionally to make you feel   guilty.  Tell him to just go get some more.  Probably better "not"   tell him what they do with the ones that don't sell.

Actually, it's awfully early for chicks in NY unless you have   them in a heated building.  It is wicked cold and windy out there   tonight.  19, wx says it's going down to 12 or lower, and the   wind goes right through you.  

I just got the first egg of the season this morning,   a nice big blue one, because it has been so nice and   sunny the last couple of days.  Making up for it tonight.  I   stopped to get gas, got back in the car and my hands were so cold I   couldn't hold the steering wheel until I got them warmed up.    Hurt, too.

Not too bad out in the chicken coop though.  These   are big 1 and 2 year old laying hens, and some roosters, all heavy   breeds.  And the one perched on the windowsill?  The little black   Silkie, naturally.  I had one that lived all alone in a small coop all one   winter.  Her mate died about Christmas, and I was afraid the others would   kill her, so I left her there and kept a close eye on her.  She was   alone there until the next May or so.  Didn't seem perturbed at   all.  Tough little critters!!

Well, I suppose they came on sailing ships.  That had to   be a hard life, but a lot of chickens made it.  China is a   big place, with quite a spread of climate and a long way off, but a number   of breeds came from there.

The medicated chick feed should be fine for them.  That's   about the least likely reason they died.  But constant water is   critical the first few weeks.  You will lose some if they go dry very   long.

Diane S.