Second chicken question

[baymule]

I can poke fun at you cause I have done the same thing.

 

[canesisters]

I'm giving them the probiotic water every other day. I actually had no choice but to mix the feed. When I opened the bag of medicated, the side split wide open. I thought "what the heck?" So I mixed it all together. The chicks get fresh water every day, and every 2-3 hours throughout the day, the water is freshened. We take it outside and dump the nasty water and let it refill. I changed the bedding this afternoon. I also do daily butt inspections. Any sign of clumping around the vent is removed with a clean cotton ball and warm water. They don't particularly like it, but then again, I'm not exactly thrilled about it either. Usually it's only one or two chicks. Otherwise, they all seem pretty happy.

Monty, I was so paranoid about the dreaded 'pasty butt' that every time I'd pick one up (which was ALOT) I'd do a butt check. By the time they were a few weeks old, I'd pick them up and they'd turn around and flick their tails at me.

Guess what? Chicken Butt!

 

[MontyJ]

Well, I guess it's one of the less pleasant sides of raising chickens, but is has to be done. I would rather check daily and clean anything off before it becomes a nasty mess that won't come off. If I could just teach them to line up and bend over, it would be so much easier on all of us.

"I have to go check the chickens butts," is a phrase I never thought I would hear mysef say. "Hey, stop pooping on her," is another. And of course "OK, who pooped in the water?" Not to mention, "Come here! I just want to look at your butt!"

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

next time bring them a piece of lettuce or some treats that get their attention. they'll eventually come running when you want them. btw, you can give them the lettuce anytime. meal worms, dried or freshly frozen are good treats for them once they get over a week or 2 of age. its fun to watch them get a hold of a worm and start playing 'football' with it chasing each other around the pen.

i also learned that if i go to pick up a chick it is more than likely to poop on me within the first 5 seconds i got to grab them. :/ and their aim is usually for my clothes.

 

[bj taylor]

yep, that looks like a chicken butt to me. and a cute one it is.

 

[catjac1975]

In the summer, particularly after the rain, land snails start to crawl up my plants. I grab them and toss them to the chickens. They swallow them in one gulp with several birds running for the same one. It is quite funny. It's good for the garden and I'm sure the extra protein and shell are great for the chickens. My 2 and 5 year old grandsons enjoy feeding the birds with snails also.

 

[MontyJ]

next time bring them a piece of lettuce or some treats that get their attention. they'll eventually come running when you want them. btw, you can give them the lettuce anytime. meal worms, dried or freshly frozen are good treats for them once they get over a week or 2 of age. its fun to watch them get a hold of a worm and start playing 'football' with it chasing each other around the pen.

i also learned that if i go to pick up a chick it is more than likely to poop on me within the first 5 seconds i got to grab them. :/ and their aim is usually for my clothes.

Should I be giving them grit yet? All they are eating right now is the chick starter. They are 10 days old.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

dried meal worms will be fine for them to eat without the need for grit. they are so dried out they easily crumble. where i let my chickens hatch their own eggs the chicks would be exposed to both grit, insects and plant life as soon as they figured out it what it all is! moma will start doing the rooster's song and dance like she just found something good to eat and the chicks come running to see all the fussing.

you might want to hold off giving any grit for a few more weeks with your indoor babies. grit you get from the store is bigger than the sand that would be in my yard so might be difficult for them to swallow at this young age.

 

[shadetree]

If it were me, I'd leave the medicated stuff. Totally a personal opinion, but I'm trying to get away from that stuff, which is why I'm trying to produce as much of our own food as we can, so our critters are only treated if they're actually ill.

For that poopy butt, I'd suggest keeping it as clean as you can and adding some active culture ACV to the water. If it's not ill, it probably just needs some good "flora" in the tum-tum

I agree with Mickey. Better to allow the chicks to build up their own immunity to the bugs out there. The ACV (apple cider vinegar) in the water and perhaps fermented feed is great and reduces odor as well as promoting good gut flora.

 

[MontyJ]

Still trying to find ACV with mother. Nobody seems to carry it.