Chickabee Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Unfortunately I've had to take these chicks away from their broody. I've left her with one chirping egg. We have 2 girls and one boy under a broody lamp. Please give me any tips you can. They have chick crumb and water. Any thing else I should do. This is my first time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 OK, just to check, when you say broody lamp do you mean a lamp on a chain which you can raise/lower or an electric hen (a sort of heated pad on legs which you raise/lower). Assuming its the lamp, what have you got the chicks in? I keep mine in a large plastic storage box (without the lid I usually put a piece of weldmesh or something over the top of the box) for the first week or two, and suspend the lamp. It is at the right height when they move about freely, sometimes under it and sometimes away. If they are too cold they will stay in a huddle continuously for warmth, if too hot they will never be under the lamp. You will need to raise it slowly as they get older and have a lessening need for the warmth. The chicks need something non-slippery underfoot so they don't fall/straddle/splay their developing legs. For the first day or 2 you can put down a J cloth, kitchen roll or similar (not newspaper), but I just put them straight onto whatever bedding I'm using. I have tried all kinds and am not wildly keen on anything. I tend to use aubiose now as that is what the adults use and its easy, but the chicks will try to eat it. I've tried cat litter wood pellets but found they were OK when the chicks were a few days old but they disintegrated when they got bigger. I've also used chopped straw (some would advise against saying it might get wound round legs, they will eat it, or can be dusty. I've not had those problems but when the chicks are a little older and out of their first home and into a covered run but still under a lamp, I'd find the straw not as absorbent or easy to keep clean as the aubiose which clumps. Some people use sand or shavings. They can survive 24 hrs without food (well for 48 actually but we don't want them starving!) as they reabsorb egg yolk. You will need chick crumb in something small (can be a lid of a jar if you haven't got anything else) preferably a few inches off the ground so they don't continually run/poo/sleep in it. I use brands with an anti-cocci medicine incorporated. You need a shallow drinker (so they don't drown). Either something very shallow, or something a bit deeper but with marbles or clean pebbles in it so the water level is still shallow, or ideally a chick drinker (gravity fed). Put the drinker up a few inches on something otherwise you will have incessantly wet litter and that is a real coccidiosis risk. You should also have a small container of chick grit (actually I mix mine into the feed). I hope that is of some use. I saw earlier that you were caring for the babies yourself. Good luck with them. I'm off to bed now but I'm sure others will be along. They are a wonder and quite tough, but just remember that whatever will be, will be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 Thank you so much. I'm pretty much following what you say. They have an old tea cosy on it's side to huddle up in, which they seem to like, but I still have the lamp on. Food is in a shallow dish and drink in a gravity drinker. How do you know what heat is right? The boy seems a bit hyperactive. Is that normal? He's the one that was on the edge of death this morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Can I ask why you took them away ? leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Sounds like the chick is too hot Chickabee. Rough temperatures under the centre of the lamp at floor level are:- 1 day old 35 degrees, 1 week 33 degrees, 2 weeks 30 degrees, 3 weeks 28 degrees, 4 weeks 25 degrees. If they huddle together under the lamp they are too cold so lower it a fraction. If they are too hot they get hyperactive and will be as far away from the lamp as possible. If there are changes in the room temperature the lamp will need adjusting accordingly. Better slightly too cold than too hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted July 21, 2014 Author Share Posted July 21, 2014 The mum is very little Leanne she couldn't cope with having eggs and chicks so just abandoned them when they were born. She has one chick now and is very happy with that. She did have a broody partner, but she died suddenly a couple of days ago, which really upset her. They really were best friends. She's a pekin frizzle by the way and been broody for about 6 weeks now, so not much weight on her. My original broody abandoned them. I do hope I'm doing the right thing. Some words of encouragement would be good. I just need pointing in the right direction. Next time I will have everything I need before I even think of proceeding. I just though that my ultra broody white silkie would make a great mum. Thanks everyone for all your advice. Ps. Mum is now tucking in to chick crumb and I have been surrounding her with food and drink all through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 OK, I wrote you a long email about 2 hrs ago, pressed send and got a message the site was being upgraded. Basically I was saying you are doing everything right and don't hesitate to ask if there is anything you are unsure about These situations can happen to the best of us, the trick is to try to get the right long term outcome, and so far you are achieving that brilliantly My top advice is to be scrupulous with feeder/drinker cleanliness and general dryness of the litter and husbandry to keep the risk of coccidiosis to a minimum. What breed are the chicks - more pekins? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimnpaula Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 I just want to say I've been following this since the "thunderstorm" post hoping your little ones pull through. It sounds like it is a steep (and bumpy) learning curve for you, and I can't offer any advice, only encouragement. I don't know if you've posted your location but there's nothing like meeting others for reassurance - you're not alone. Paula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Sounds like your doing ok but I personally would have given them back when the last one had hatched far easier for a broody to look after them I always switching eggs and taking chicks from one broody and giving them to others never had any probs leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted July 21, 2014 Author Share Posted July 21, 2014 They are cream legbars daphne. Unfortunately one of the little girls died, so 2 girls one boy now. She was very week from the start. Leanne, do you think I should have another go at putting them with the broody, now she has no eggs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Hi sometimes all they need is to dry out and get a bit of energy I would give it ago you will know if shes gonna except them as when you show her them she will make that little chatty noise to talk to them if she doesn't want them near her 1 chick she will make like a grunt as much as to say what the hell get lost. Be ready to step in if shes gonna peck them ive done this many a time and they tuck them straight under them and are fine but I don't know your broody I would say do it at night but I think you need to sit and watch her behaviour for a while goodluck let us know how you get on it will be so much easier for you if she takes them back and rears them plus I don't like to see broodys with lone chicks but I know sometimes it cant be helped I think they do so much better with siblings to muck around with leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted July 21, 2014 Author Share Posted July 21, 2014 They're back with mum and they all seem very happy. Had a disaster though. As YS leant on the coop he got covered in red mite! I had previously disinfected and sprayed everything with total mite kill, but it seems these like the felt roof. So I've kicked the exbats out of their omlet Go and converted that into a nursery. Just smothered the coop in total mite and left it open to dry. Have some invertimicin. Will put it on the girls when they go to bed. Didn't want to buy another coop, but have been looking at plastic ones on the internet. What do you think Broody has previously been treated with spot on and I dusted her with mite powder today (and me) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Good to hear that mum has taken the chicks back, what a relief! Unfortunately red mite just love roofing felt, they love to get underneath it and hide there so I am afraid that without taking all the felt off you probably won't get rid of the RM. Broodies have a tendency to be a magnet for RM too as the heat attracts them. What bad luck. You did the right thing getting them into the Eglu though. Just be vigilant in case they have carried any passengers across. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 They're back with mum and they all seem very happy. Had a disaster though. As YS leant on the coop he got covered in red mite! ) I was just about to post advising to check for red mite, the dying broody and the broody rejecting her chicks are sadly classic signs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted July 21, 2014 Author Share Posted July 21, 2014 I feel a bit of a fool. I'm always ranting on about red mite and was convinced there were none in the coop. I've got all the stuff to treat, prevent and get rid of them. I suppose it's the heat and the lovely warm broody bodies that makes it worse. I've just put invertimicin on my head cause I've been itching and have found a few on me. Hot shower and all clothes in the wash next Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claireabella Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I've been following your threads Chickabee and sounds like you've had some rotten luck. I'm keeping everything crossed for your little ones. X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share Posted July 22, 2014 Thank you. She looked after them all night. Held my breath when I opened the eglu door Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I'm watching with crossed fingers too Chickabee - sounds like you and your little Pekin are doing a grand job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Also just caught your thread Chickabee.Fingers crossed for your little flock.It must be exciting and nerve wracking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share Posted July 22, 2014 Well the babies just all escaped into the classic run, which is 3 meters. Mum was going mad. I had to crawl in on my belly to reunite them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Rooting for you an your little chicks!!! In my experience Pekins make great mothers I also lost a girlie on sat One of my own babies, Tilly she was 2 Keep us posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
