Oh boy, what have I done?

[MontyJ]

I went browsing in tractor supply this evening and found Black Australorps for $.75 each, Cornish Cross for $.75 each and red breed varieties for $2.99. What's a guy to do? I bought 10 Cornish X, 6 Austrolorps, and 4 red breeds. 20 chickens? What the heck was I thinking? I didn't even have a brooder set up! After a hectic scramble to find boxes big enough to hold them, all is well. Of course I now owe the DW 2 new storage tubs for her yarn and crafting supplies.

Damn those voices.

I already have a chicken problem. One of the meaties has no feathers around its little neck. It also seems a bit lethargic compared to the others. It was panting earlier just after I got them home. Is this going to be a problem? Also, do chicks normaly sneeze? I have noticed a few of the other meaties sneezing. This concerns me a bit.

 

[thistlebloom]

Boy, I wish we had Australorps for .75!
I don't know about the sneezing, but I would for sure keep them separated from the other chicks.
One of the chicken people can help you with that one.

 

[canesisters]

WOW! You jumped in with both feet!

First, chickens do sneeze - just like any other animal that gets dust up it's nose and that may be all it is. However, chickens do not get 'colds' so to speak. Separate your 'sneazers right away and watch the others closely. There are many respiratory illnesses that they can get. The general thought is that you can either treat them - and when/if they recover they will most likely remain carriers (so selling/giving them to someone else should come with a caution) OR remove them from the flock permanently.
Jump over to BYC and check out Speckledhen's page. Also see some of the 'new chick' threads.
A week after I got my first chicks I started to see sneezing and even some congestion and discharge. Since I only had 8 and only had one place to keep them, I didn't separate them and treated them all with meds in the water. Then decided that my flock was going to be 'simi closed'. New birds in (after 4 weeks quarantine) but no live birds out. That is probably a bit drastic but I would feel TERRIBLE if I gave away some birds and found out that the 'gift' had infected someone's flock.

There is a 'breed' called Necked Neck or Turkin. It is actually a genetic trait that can show up in just about ANY breed. It's unusual and, I think, pretty cool. You might have gotten one. The panting and lethargy could be just from stress. Did they send you home with any supplies? Like Save-a-Chick to add to their water for the first week? It's sort of like pedilyte for babies and helps them deal with all the stress of being handled, transported, settled into a new home, etc.

Having chickens is a BLAST! I can't believe that I waited so long to start. Mine are mostly pets and add SOO much fun and entertainment (and eggs) to my life.

 

[897tgigvib]

Monty, sounds like maybe you should let that tractor supply place know that some of their chicks have a problem.

I'm reading a little about those cornish cross chickens. they really seem to be one of the most difficult to raise. Require 22% protein feed, a lot of it, and with such rapid growth they grow faster than their leg bones can carry. Sounds like it'd be similar to a baby human gaining weight so fast it'd weigh 200 pounds in 2 years. They do not even recommend trying to raise them to full maturity. If I ever got chickens, I'm not sure I'd want a purebred cornish cross.

On the other hand, I suppose that without knowing it, I've eaten a lot of them.

How did the sick ones make it through the night?

 

[bj taylor]

wow, you like to jump in. i wish i could run across black australorp like that. i have two. one is the rooster. he's huge, protective (he even fought off a hawk that had one of my girls on the ground), he's just great. the hen australorp is religious in giving me eggs. she never took a break during winter, just kept them coming.

hope you don't have sick chicks. good luck

 

[ninnymary]

Why were the prices so low? You should have bought more australops!

Mary

 

[Ridgerunner]

When they don't sell out and they start to get a bit old they discount them to get rid of them.

My TSC was offering ducks are $0.50 each just to get rid of them.

 

[ninnymary]

My goodness! What a temptation. I'm glad I don't live near a TSC. I'm a sucker for great sales!

Mary

 

[canesisters]

Hope to hear from Monty soon... wondering how the babies are doing today.

 

[Nyboy]

My goodness! What a temptation. I'm glad I don't live near a TSC. I'm a sucker for great sales!
2x lol
Mary