Have you ever heard the term “hen-pecked”? If you’ve ever been around a flock of chickens, you know what it means. Chickens (and baby chicks too), are relentless in pecking at bugs, grubs and other insects. But they also go after anything with blood, including another of their own kind! Even if it is just a tiny spot of blood, one chick will peck at it, then another and another, and before you know it, that tiny wound can be a huge problem.
At the first sign of a wound on a chicken, it should be taken care of immediately by removing the chick from the flock. The sight and smell of fresh blood, even from a small wound, will cause the other chicks to start pecking.
Soon, the whole flock will be pecking on at the wound, making it bigger and the situation worse. I have seen cases where the wound had enlarged down to the bone when it wasn’t treated early. If the chick or hen is not removed from the flock and cared for until the feathers return, the flock will continue to peck.
After you’ve removed the chick, you need to clean the wound by rinsing it with fresh water. Put the chick or hen in her own cage with fresh water and regular food. Adding fresh dandelions, Lamb’s Quarters and crushed raw garlic to her feed will boost her immune system and fight infection.
Next, make up an herbal salve to apply to the wound. You can make your own salve using olive oil and beeswax as a base. Measurements aren’t really necessary, just mix up small batches that you can cover the wound with. Add a pinch of yarrow powder or a few drops of yarrow essential oil to the oil mixture. Then stir in a drop or 2 of lavender essential oil, until the salve is smooth. You can apply this salve a few times a day until the feathers return.
Remember, an open wound on a chicken is an invitation to not only cannibalism, but also infection. It is better to prevent it, than to treat a more serious condition afterwards.
Here is a source for thoseto make the herbal salve.
Baby Chicks Incubator in
Dresden, Maine
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Dresden Maine,
including Sussex Chickens, Welsummer Chickens, Turken Chickens and more.
Be sure to check out the Bargain Specials, as you can combine different
egg layers in smaller amounts and buy as an assortment. Dresden
Maine also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Dresden Maine, bantams for sale, ducks for sale, geese for sale,
turkeys for sale, guinea for sale, peafowl for sale, pheasant for sale,
chukar partridge for sale, bobwhite for sale, many different breeds of
baby chicks for sale in Dresden ME.
Baby Chicks Facts in
Dresden, Maine
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Dresden Maine
catalog is a yearly traditions in many houses. My kids and I eagerly await
the Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog. We love looking at all the cool and
different chicken breeds available. Catalogs are free so head on over to
their site and request one if you are interested.
Typically hatcheries online offer both standard breeds
and bantams. Bantams are fun hardy little chickens, they lay tiny eggs
that kids especially love collecting. Bantams typically weigh less than 2
pounds when full grown. Just like ordering anything online there are pros
and cons to ordering baby chicks online. Pros of buying baby chicks in
Dresden Maine * Big Selection - If you are wanting a large
variety of different chicken breeds and egg colors, you will find the best
selection at an online hatchery. * Both Bantams and full sized chickens
available * You get to choose what sex you want. If you want a mixture of
both male and female then choosing a "straight run" will save you money
and you will get a mixture of male and female chicks. You can also choose
all males or all females too. * Weekly specials. Hatcheries have sales on
chicks, you are likely to get a good deal if you are flexible with the
breeds you are wanting. Cons of buying baby chicks in Dresden
Maine * Order early to get the best selection. Certain breeds sell
out fast, sometimes as early as 6 months in advance of shipping! If you
are wanting a certain breed it's best to order your chicks in the fall
before their orders sell out.
Baby
Chicks For Sale in
Dresden, Maine
Quantity - you must order a certain number of chicks. Typically hatcheries
will require you buy a minimum of 25 chicks at a time. The number is
necessary for the chicks survival during shipping. All 25 chicks are put
in one small box without heat. They are crowded in the box and produce
enough body heat to arrive in good shape. * The wait - If you choose to
buy chicks from a feed store you will have them the same day but if you
choose to go with a hatchery you have to wait until they are ready to ship
and then wait for the chicks to arrive. Ordering baby chicks online in
Dresden Maine is easy and has always been a very pleasant
experience of me. It can be a little frustrating waiting for the chicks
but it's so worth the wait. When the post office calls and you hear all
those little "cheeps" or "chirps" in the background you'll know the wait
was worth it! How to Care for your new baby chickens in Dresden,
Maine Baby chicks are very
adorable and also
challenging to resist,
but it's ideal to plan for their
arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare first
by compiling not just the
correct products, however
additionally the proper
expertise to take care of
them. Raising baby chicks is fairly
simple, you just should supply them with the following: A tidy and also warm
habitat Lots of food and water Focus as well as
love Environment Your habitat could be a
simple box, fish tank,
pet cat provider, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels and also
blankets (with no loose
strings!) to begin, and also after a
couple of weeks use straw over paper.
Keep in mind: Avoid making use of only
newspaper or various other sandal
surfaces-- or your chicks legs could grow
misshapen. You additionally require
something to dish out food as well as
water in, such as a chicken feeder and water
recipe from the feed shop, or a pickle jar
cover for food as well as a pet dog bird water dispenser from a family pet store. Additionally, as the chicks get
older you could present a perch
right into the habitat to get them
trained on setting down. Heat To
maintain your chicks heat you should
give them with a warmth resource.
This can be as easy as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb likewise work extremely well (my
recommendation). Chicks need this
warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
replaced with feathers (which can use
up to 2 months). The newly
hatched out require a temperature
in between 90 as well as 100 degrees,
as well as each week this could
be lowered by
around 5 degrees or
so. The warmth resource need to be on just one side of the cage
to allow chicks a range of
temperature levels. The chicks are your ideal
thermostat- if they are hiding in the
opposite edge of your warmth
lamp, you need to
decrease the temperature. If
they are surrounding each various other under the
warmth (not just snuggling),
you need to include some warmth.
Housekeeping
Cleanliness is vital and also it maintains your chicks healthy. Make certain to alter
the bedding
commonly and also
always give clean
food and also water Food and water.
Chicks expand really quickly
which calls for lots of tidy
food and also water. Give
sufficient at all times and also check
commonly to avoid thirsty as well as
hungry chicks. Chick food is different compared
to adult chicken food, and it is available in both medicated as well as non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the
initial 2 months, then
change to a raiser food (~ 17 %
protein) for an additional 2 months,
and afterwards to a slightly
reduced healthy protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks prefer to get a head start on taking
dirt bathrooms, while others will not take
up that task until they are
older. If you have the room in your chick
unit, introduce a tray of sand or
dust for them to shower in.
Interest and also love There are a couple of benefits to spending quality time with your chicks. Firstly, they will more than likely bond with you and also
not run away as adults. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and
view their habits, you could
catch illness or other problems previously. Keep an
eye out for wheezing, limping, or
other undesirable
signs. Be sure to
also look at
their poop, as diarrhea can cause matted plumes as well
as blocked cloaca.
Lastly, it is important to keep an eye out for social problems, such as the
smallest chick obtaining picked
on. Empty nest syndrome So your
chicks are currently totally feathery
and also its time for them to leave the
safety and security of your residence
and also relocate outside into a
coop. Have a look at our
section on chicken cages for more information
concerning coops and also
proper cage environments.
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