Maine

[superchemicalgirl]

The tiny and little chicks spent the night in the old coop. First night out for the tinies. They did great. I swear that this second batch of babies are braver than their brothers and sisters who are 3.5 weeks older! I've been putting the older chicks in the tractor for the past couple of days. They've been using a cat crate as their security blanket. Last night was their first night without supplemental heat. They were up on the roost, but with it being their first night and a window adjacent to either end of the 4' roost, I thought it might be too cold for them, so stuffed them in the cat crate. Someone wanna weigh in and tell me that I should have left them on the roosts??? They are 5 weeks old tomorrow.

I would have left them on the roost.

 

[lazy gardener]

They're on the roost tonight, and the little ones (8 - 9 days old) are huddled in the corner, not going under their heating pad.

 

[diana507]

Mine should be headed to the coop sunday! (I hope).... I know I will be a nervous wreck and not sleep the first few nights And probably asking a million questions. Haha Insulation started going in tonight. Finishing that and boarding it up. Building their nesting boxes, even though they have a ways to go and their roost and poop board to be built. And they will be good to go!

 

[IZZYBELLA]

Update on my limping hen... I think it is actually bumblefoot. The pad has become swollen and red. Quite discouraging. I am soaking it in epsom salts and warm water periodically and started her on antibiotics in her water. Not sure any of that will do any good...

 

[Cknldy]

Look up threads on bumblefoot. You have to get it out like a pimple or it could cause permanent damage. Good luck.

 

[pshuman]

Hello from Buxton. I am fairly new to chickens, 2 years now. I started with 2 RIR, 2 White Leghorns, and 2 Barred Rocks. I recently (Saturday) got 6 more RIR pullets. they all live in a 4X4X10 hen house with a 8X 20 covered run. I was going to insulate but never got to it before winter last year. Now I figure that if they made it through that then they should be fine. They do have a heated waterer and plenty of shavings on the floor.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Hello!

 

[lazy gardener]

Welcome to the Maine Thread. My SIL just built a house in Buxton.

 

[IZZYBELLA]

Hello from Buxton. I am fairly new to chickens, 2 years now. I started with 2 RIR, 2 White Leghorns, and 2 Barred Rocks. I recently (Saturday) got 6 more RIR pullets. they all live in a 4X4X10 hen house with a 8X 20 covered run. I was going to insulate but never got to it before winter last year. Now I figure that if they made it through that then they should be fine. They do have a heated waterer and plenty of shavings on the floor.

Welcome!

Look up threads on bumblefoot. You have to get it out like a pimple or it could cause permanent damage. Good luck.

We tried unsuccessfully to remove the infection yesterday, because it was spreading up her leg. We ended up putting her down, though. She was such a personable little girl... I'll miss having her in the flock.

 

[Cknldy]

Man that's tough. Perhaps a monthly pick up and check can keep any future problems in check. I had a BO boy that got bumblefoot after I put hay with "stickers" in the run. Thorn got in his foot which resulted in bumblefoot. The first day (with kid's help) we soaked the foot and picked a bit. Next day it was up again so we did a more in depth 'dig' and got it all out. He stayed pretty calm the whole time and it healed well with no future problems. Did you check the rest of your flock yet?