Sadly, upon waking we found one of the chicks had died in the night. It is common to lose a chick or two but it is still sad. The reason for her death was pasting. When new chicks are stressed it can cause the poop to stick to the down and when it dries it stops the ability for the chick to go to the bathroom. For the first week or so it is very important to check each chick a couple of times a day for pasting. If there seems to be a problem, you need to wash their bottom with a warm wet cloth to clean the area or you can pull the down out from the area. Removing the down hurts the chick for a moment but it keeps the probability of it happening again to a minimum.
The rest of the flock seem to be doing well. There are a couple that are a bit smaller than the others and will need to be watched closely to make sure they are not getting bullied out of the feeder. The girls are now four days old and are more active and very fun to watch.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Delivery Day!
The chicks were shipped on March 25 and were supposed to arrive on the 26th. However, they did not arrive until the 28th. Those little girls were hungry and quite thirsty. We got the call from the extension office around 6:45 am that they had arrived. Since Daniel had already left on the bus to school, I went to get them for him. I grabbed a box to bring them home in and off I went. The whole family had been anticipating this for days and all were very excited. As soon as I walked in the door at the extension office, the roar of peeps was incredible. Boxes of baby chicks telling anyone who would listen that they needed water and out of those cramped boxes ASAP. We moved 25 little ones into our box and headed home.
When putting them into the brooding box, I dipped each of their beaks into the water to show them where it was. They immediately hit the water and the food with a great urgency. After getting their fill, they settled down and started napping. Baby chicks are much like human babies in that they need to take lots of naps, however, someone is usually always awake to eat, drink or just to jump on the others to wake them up.
When Daniel and his sisters got home that afternoon they could hardly contain their happiness about having all of these new little ones. It ended up in a conference to make a list of 25 names. Naming them is easy, keeping straight who is who is more difficult. For the most part they are all black in color. One is red, a couple have red faces, two more have white markings on the face, but beyond that it will come down to personality.
Daniel named the red one Zelda. His younger sister named the two with white markings Lola and Lotta. His older sister named one of the red face chicks Gaz. The rest remains to be named.
When putting them into the brooding box, I dipped each of their beaks into the water to show them where it was. They immediately hit the water and the food with a great urgency. After getting their fill, they settled down and started napping. Baby chicks are much like human babies in that they need to take lots of naps, however, someone is usually always awake to eat, drink or just to jump on the others to wake them up.
When Daniel and his sisters got home that afternoon they could hardly contain their happiness about having all of these new little ones. It ended up in a conference to make a list of 25 names. Naming them is easy, keeping straight who is who is more difficult. For the most part they are all black in color. One is red, a couple have red faces, two more have white markings on the face, but beyond that it will come down to personality.
Daniel named the red one Zelda. His younger sister named the two with white markings Lola and Lotta. His older sister named one of the red face chicks Gaz. The rest remains to be named.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Preparing for Poultry
The chicks were ordered in February and were to arrive at the end of March. The breed that is being used is Black Sex Link, which is a cross between a Rhode Island Red male and Barred Plymouth Rock female. Because of this mix they are considered dual purpose birds, meaning they are meant to provide both eggs and meat. They are a hardy bunch which is perfect for this project.
What do you need to prepare for baby chicks? You need an environment that is warm, dry and comes with plenty of food and fresh water. Now, let's talk about these things in more detail. During the brooding period, which is really until the chicks have enough feathers to keep them warm, they need to be kept warm and dry. In a natural environment the mother hen would do this, but because these babies are hatched and shipped on the same day, there is no mother to care for them. You can house the chicks in almost anything as long as you can control the temperature. For the first week the chicks need a heat source of about 95 degrees, the temperature needs decrease by about 5 degrees each week. Daniel chose to use a Rubbermaid tub with a reflective clamp light. The tub can be covered to hold in the heat, but leaving an opening for ventilation. For easy cleanup we put newspaper in the bottom. Now, for the first week or so it is important for the chicks to have something on the newspaper so that they have good traction. The newspaper may be too slick and it could cause their legs and feet to have problems. Once they have stronger legs it is not as much of a concern. Chickens love to have litter to scratch in and pine shavings can be a great choice. If you use a litter such as wood shavings it also helps keep the environment dry as it absorbs any moisture.
Baby chicks love to eat and should always have food available to them. You want to use a good chick starter feed to ensure they get all the nutrients they need to grow big and healthy. Fresh water is also important. You can use a waterer, which is good, but if you need to use a shallow dish for a time, then just make sure to put marbles or rocks in it so they stay out of it and so they do not drown in the water. While chickens are smarter than some other fowl, they still are not the sharpest tool in the shed, so you will need to keep an eye on them and make sure they are ok.
Now that we have the proper set up to get them started all we need to do is add the chicks.
What do you need to prepare for baby chicks? You need an environment that is warm, dry and comes with plenty of food and fresh water. Now, let's talk about these things in more detail. During the brooding period, which is really until the chicks have enough feathers to keep them warm, they need to be kept warm and dry. In a natural environment the mother hen would do this, but because these babies are hatched and shipped on the same day, there is no mother to care for them. You can house the chicks in almost anything as long as you can control the temperature. For the first week the chicks need a heat source of about 95 degrees, the temperature needs decrease by about 5 degrees each week. Daniel chose to use a Rubbermaid tub with a reflective clamp light. The tub can be covered to hold in the heat, but leaving an opening for ventilation. For easy cleanup we put newspaper in the bottom. Now, for the first week or so it is important for the chicks to have something on the newspaper so that they have good traction. The newspaper may be too slick and it could cause their legs and feet to have problems. Once they have stronger legs it is not as much of a concern. Chickens love to have litter to scratch in and pine shavings can be a great choice. If you use a litter such as wood shavings it also helps keep the environment dry as it absorbs any moisture.
Baby chicks love to eat and should always have food available to them. You want to use a good chick starter feed to ensure they get all the nutrients they need to grow big and healthy. Fresh water is also important. You can use a waterer, which is good, but if you need to use a shallow dish for a time, then just make sure to put marbles or rocks in it so they stay out of it and so they do not drown in the water. While chickens are smarter than some other fowl, they still are not the sharpest tool in the shed, so you will need to keep an eye on them and make sure they are ok.
Now that we have the proper set up to get them started all we need to do is add the chicks.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Hello
This blog is to journal Daniel's experience in the 4-H Chick Chain project. Daniel is 10 years old and in the 4th grade. The chick chain is a poultry project through the 4-H organization that helps teach kids about poultry management and marketing practices. It is also a great way to teach them responsibility, build self-esteem and possibly results in a new appreciation for animals and where they fit into our lives.
The deal is this: Daniel receives 25 girl baby chicks and raises them to become laying hens. In the fall he will take his 5 best hens to the county fair for show and auction. Then he gets to keep the remaining hens for his personal flock. In doing this, he must maintain their care through housing, feeding, watering, and general health. There is lots to learn, a lot of work to be done and even more fun to be had, so let's get started.
The deal is this: Daniel receives 25 girl baby chicks and raises them to become laying hens. In the fall he will take his 5 best hens to the county fair for show and auction. Then he gets to keep the remaining hens for his personal flock. In doing this, he must maintain their care through housing, feeding, watering, and general health. There is lots to learn, a lot of work to be done and even more fun to be had, so let's get started.
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