New Mom, new bantams, a few questions...

[bbRedMom]

Hey Everyone~

I just hatched three beautiful little BBRed Bantum chicks. #1 is doing great, fluffy and eating and generally being obnoixus. #3 was a slow starter, buthe is also doing well.

#2, however, I thought was doing great all day yesterday. He was up and walking and pecking. However this moring, I found him on his side. I thought he was dead, but when he saw me he started peeping. I put him back in the incubator, and he is perkier, but he cant seem to walk. Its like his bottom is too heavy to pick off the floor, and his leggs scuffle around like a penguin. He wasn't doing this yesterday. #2 and #3 are also more prone to pasting up then #1. Could #2 be full of poo? I cleaned him and it he pooped like crazy this morning.

Also, and this may seem like a dumb question, but how many hour each day should the heat light be kept on? They are in my bathroom with a radiator heator 24/7. The ambient temp is very warm, but I'm afriad to turn it off at night or they will get too cold. Its cold outside in Arkansas right now!

Thanks!

 

[ksacres]

when they are little babies like that, they need heat 24/7 put the heat lamp above them and they will position themselves where they are comfortable. Watch their behavior, if they are cold they will stand directly under it cheeping, if they are too warm they will try to get as far away as they can and pant.

 

[bbRedMom]

Well, poop. The heat lamp was off for like 4 hours last night cause I figured they needed to sleep. They are ok, but maybe he got too cold.

I'm going to the TRC this afternoon. I've got chick start feed, but I can't decide whether to get vitamins or not. Some books say yes, some say no. What do ya'll think?

 

[Cuban Longtails]

What I did was just feed medicated chick starter (medicated against cocci) until they were old enough for general feed. My chicks have never been fed vitamins; I don't give them anything like that unless they need it (i.e. they're sick or injured).

They've turned out fine thus far.

 

[ksacres]

we only feed non-medicated feed and only give vitamins/electrolytes or medications when they are sick. The way I figure is if they are used to getting that stuff, it's not going to do a lick of good when they actually need it. You really shouldn't need it unless they are weak for some reason.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Quote:
Yes, #2 is full of poo. Make sure you keep his bottom clean so he can void waste and clear out his system. He might also have injured his legs, but I'm not sure of that. Could you post a picture?

 

[bbRedMom]

Here are the pics with captions so you can know who is who. I'm not home right now, but I will be in about an hour.

I know this sounds gross, but can I help him poop with a little squeeze? He may be constipated, and I dont think they make chick sized prunes!

I really have been keeping their bums clean, but they are so fuzzy! Can I trim the butt feathers? I know someone on the board mentioned vasoline-does that really help?

Chick #1-Johnnie

Chick #2-Scruffy

Chick #3-Mumbles

 

[TurtleChick]

i am by NOOOOOOO stretch of the imagination an expert, but i know i've read several times that newspaper can be too slippery for them - causing "splayed legs". having never seen that (only on my first peeps now

), i dunno if that's what's got your little guy down... but i would swap the newspaper for paper towels - better traction for new little feeties.

and i think that you would do more harm than good by squeezing to aide in pooing. too many little internal organs to damage. just check for pasty butt and wipe with warm/damp paper towels as necessary. do a search on pasty butt if it gets bad - i know that i've read about lots and lots of ways to deal with it, but deal with it you must. even if it means checking/cleaning his/her bum every hour or so...

hope that helps, they're cute lil buggers! good luck!!!

 

[Vikkisrooster]

Wow,thats one pretty chick! I noticed in your pics it looks like cracked corn.You aren't giving them corn are you? I know how bad it can be.Hope you don't mind the input,I just love my babies and know I wouldn't want to do something that was bad for them.

Good Luck,
Vicki

 

[bbRedMom]

Thanks, I think he's pretty cute!

I put aper down only because that's what my chicken book said to do. I did chage it out to pine tonite, and they do like it muuuch better. They are all snuggly into it.

In fact, mumbles is now walking better, and scruffy is kinda wobbly! Johnnie on the other hand, is da maaaaan.

That's chick starter, I promise! No cracked corn for me.

Unfortunatly, my other two eggs never made any movement or noise, so being the biology grad student I am, I opened them up. They are both dead, and had apparently died within the last week. I wonder if the other chicks rocking the eggs may have hurt them. Oh well, 60% aint bad for a first timer, right?

They are sooooooo cute, I just wanna hug them. My house came with a flock of BBred adults. 5 roosters and 4 hens. Anybody want a rooster?

Thanks!