Yam
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by Yam on Dec 19, 2008 11:36:45 GMT 8
Hi all, I'm so excited and clucky at the moment! I purchased 6 RIRs and was given two for free-one as a bonus and a stunted week old which is actually the smallest of the lot . After assessing the little week old, i found him to be extremely thin (keel bone protruding a lot and no muscle or fat... the little guy didn't recognise chick crumble and wasn't eating. kept in a hotbox for the first night, the little guy woke me up every 2 hours (v. hungry) and i got him eating mealworms. after that, he now eats very well! There was another drama though.... I have three broodies at the moment and two have rejected the bubs so far...going to try again tonight with the last bantam... At the moment I've got 8 babies following me around and it is really stressful as there are so many to keep an eye on... Any suggestions on the last broody? You can see the little week old's wings (front) are a tiny bit more developed than the others... The only hen who appeared generally interested and concerned about the bubs is my old Isa Brown Thanks!
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Post by Cluck N Waddle on Dec 19, 2008 12:30:49 GMT 8
Aw, theyre just gorgeous Yam Are you popping the bubs under the broodies at night when its dark? I cant offer too much advice as its not something I do very often, and of my girls I know which ones I would try it with and which I wouldnt. Fluffychook has a couple of Silkie girls that she uses as foster mums for her bubs so she can probably offer some advice.
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Post by fluffychook on Dec 19, 2008 13:37:25 GMT 8
What gorgeous little ones Yam, so cute. As for putting them under the hen, as Steph has said do it at night. I put only a couple under her so she wakes up with babies and think they have hatched, but if you use the hen that has already rejected some make sure you are there early to save any if she gets nasty. If she has eggs under her, remove some, but leave at least one. If she accepts these, put the rest under her at night again and remove any eggs. With my silkies I gave some during the day as they seemed to accept the chicks so readily and they just tucked them under their wings and adopted them too. They are very defensive of their babies too. Another thing is how long has the hen been broody, if it is for at least a couple of weeks they should take them. Let us know how you go
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Yam
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by Yam on Dec 19, 2008 13:44:01 GMT 8
Thanks heaps guys!!! Oh and can you tell the sex of RIRs at this age? I heard you can tell the chicks' sex if you cross light sussex and RIR, but is it the same case for pure RIRs?
The chicks are lovely and I have been digging around in the garden with them (and resting them every 10 mins!). The little week old baby is lighter in colour with white wings...is this a RIR?- or maybe a New Hampshire???
I'll let you know if it was successful tonight...
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Yam
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by Yam on Dec 19, 2008 15:05:50 GMT 8
A middle toe on the older baby's feet is really bent and appears a little swollen where it bends... Is this a major problem?
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Post by Duck Diva on Dec 19, 2008 17:24:55 GMT 8
hi yam, your bubs are gorgeous sorry, I dont know aboout the toes, someone else will though
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Post by Cluck N Waddle on Dec 19, 2008 17:57:40 GMT 8
Havent had a toe problem like that myself. Do you mean that the toe is curled up or its got a kink in it? Does it seem to be causing the chick pain? It may be a deformity that the chick was born with, and if not causing the chick any distress and your not fussed that it has a funny looking toe then I wouldnt stress too much about it. The chickie will grow up and lead a normal life, if it was born with the toe like that then it doesnt know any different. I've got a 5 year old Silkie hen who has a deformed toe, I'd say she was probably born with it (I didnt breed her), its kinked in the middle like an L shape. It doesnt bother her in the slightest. Others may have some different advice About the sexing of the RIRs and breed of the younger chickie, I havent had any breeding experience with large breeds (yet ) so I cant offer advice there. I reckon Horses7 could offer some advice though
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Post by horses7 on Dec 20, 2008 17:06:23 GMT 8
Hi Yam this is a link that explains how to create sexlinked chickens using the rhodebar as an example. the same principle would apply if crossing a light sussex and RIR. Sorry, with purebreds you have to be a little patient and wait till they are a bit older, usually by about 3 to 4 weeks you should be able to start to see the difference in the sexes. and your chickadees are gorgeous www.rhodebar.co.uk/
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Yam
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by Yam on Dec 21, 2008 20:52:26 GMT 8
I'm pleased that after a lot of stress, time and effort on behalf of all involved, 3 babies now have a mummy chook! The third broody hen took only three, but I'm happy with the result... I sneaked some of the babies under her at night, removing the eggs (except one) and even added the broken egg shells!!! but in the morning she was pecking a few on the head hard enough to make them run from her and hide... so I saved those bubs! eventually she warmed to her little ones and kept them warm, once again showing how she earns her keep by being a lovely mummy!!! The next night I was ready to pop a couple more under her but found her not sitting on her nest. the egg I had left under her was a plastic egg i filled with sand (to make it more realistic!) had been broken in half to appear like a hatched egg... Mum obviously only wanted a few bubs! The other five rejected bubs are now under my watchful eye! I am soooooooo clucky scratching around the garden and finding bugs for them... The week old bub is doing well now! his toe is just curled inwards, but isn't a huge drama and he has put on loads of weight! Another bub is having a few problems though, not wanting to do anything except sleep and cheep for mum (me). I have fed him some electrolytes and he has perked up a little so hopefully he was just dehydrated.... Chooky Mum with her new bubbies! My five bubbies having a nap! Thanks for all the help! Wish me luck bringing up five lil ones! By the way-is there anything I should know when handraising bubs other than food, heat, water (and electrolytes), love, cuddles, kisses and excercise? -are there any common illnesses that cause a chick to be really sleepy and unwilling to eat anything and his legs to become really thin? I'm scared he may have a yeast infection or something nasty...
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Post by Duck Diva on Dec 21, 2008 22:33:18 GMT 8
Hi Yam, congrats on getting 3 chickies under a hen, thats great They are adorable chickens! Im afraid I cant help you with illnesses because Im new to raising chicks myself. I am mummy to a lone chick who is 2 days old at the moment and it doesnt look like its brothers or sisters are going to hatch Well keep us posted on your sick littlie wont you? Cheers, Wendy
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Post by horses7 on Dec 22, 2008 6:07:25 GMT 8
One of the main diseases is coccidiousus (sorry about the spelling) for chicks, they usually fluff up their feathers a bit, and their neck sort of shrinks into their body and they usually have blood in their poops, and then the other little darlings eat the bloody poops and then they have it. I use sulphaquin in their water when I see any signs and isolate any sickies and replace the brooder bedding frequently. Cocci seems to like the humid weather
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Post by fluffychook on Dec 22, 2008 7:10:54 GMT 8
Isn't it the greatest when they take the chicks. Good thing you were on hand to save them in the morning. The only problem I found with hand raising is I bond to them and don't want them to go if they are roosters. I can't have too many and I will be having two at the moment. Hopefully Splash will be a nice quiet boy like Romeo who hardly makes a peep or in his case a crow.
H7 just wondering about cocci, do the chicks eat and drink and follow the pack if they have it. I have one little chick that I have been watching for several days now. It is the smallest and quite often I will find it hunched up. But when I look the next time it is running around eating and drinking.
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Yam
Junior Member
Posts: 67
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Post by Yam on Dec 22, 2008 21:51:33 GMT 8
The baby became so unwell that he wouldn't eat or drink or even open his little eyes! The only option I had at the time was to tubefeed him some more electrolytes and high protein Parrot Rearing Mix as he was also very thin... Just before bed that night, he began cheeping so I just kept an eye on him and kept aware during the night for cheeping, talking and cupping the lil guy with my hand to comfort him! I really didn't have much hope after trying my best for the lil guy (thought there was nothing else I could do at that point). I thought he wouldn't survive the night! The next morning however, he was up cheeping with him lil eyes a bit open. He still wasn't eating and cheeping loud for me so I syringed him small amounts of PRM and electrolytes for a day. Today he was out running around with the others and even ate a few chick crumble bits, five mealworms, an earwig and some scrambled egg!!!! -only a little bit though....and drinking water ;D It is amazing to see how the other chicks comfort him when he isn't feeling very well! (well apart from the eye pecking) Still a little slow (physically and mentally), he is doing a whole lot better and I'm suspecting he has a serious case of dehydration. He is extremely clingy though, wanting to be under my shirt or cuddled all the time! Thanks all for the help and suggestions Horses7! What a miracle baby!
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Post by Cluck N Waddle on Dec 23, 2008 6:09:19 GMT 8
Thats great to hear Yam
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Post by Duck Diva on Dec 23, 2008 7:28:56 GMT 8
Hey YAm, thats fantastic!! Youve done really well. Cheers, Wendy.
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