[GrannieAnnie]

When I went out to see the chicks at 7am, they seemed okay, but I didn't go in the house, Brian went out at 8am and said some had blood on them.

When we've gone out there, it started of with 8 that had their tiny tail feathers pecked, some right out, and there were some wings bloodied too.  Now there's about 2 dozen of them.

We've brought them indoors in the warm and put them in different boxes so they are not crowded, put food and water in and I've sprayed their rear ends with the purple spray Aunty mentioned to me once.

Has anyone any idea what is the matter?  Was the greenhouse conversion idea not good?  I did have my doubts.  Is it too light?  too cold, too warm?

Even with the spray on some are still pecking the others in the boxes.  Any help GREATLY accepted!!!

[muntjac]

sounds like a fight n a half went on .sometimes a rat wil do that tho check all round for entry holes of any kind .and they dont have to be on the ground

[GrannieAnnie]

Defo not rats Karl, the chicks are doing it to each other, and although we have now separated all the injured chicks, everytime we go out there, there are another one or 2 with bloodied tail feathers and vents.
Do you think there is too much light, making them stressed?  One half of the greenhouse is blacked out with black plastic sheeting, and the whole thing is lined with bubblewrap to help keep it warm as its a greenhouse full of glass (as they are!).

They have a BIG water bell in there, and 4 feeders, 2 long chick troughs and 2 seed trays.  We've also been out and bought some chopped barley straw becasue one article I found on the web said it could be because they need more on the ground to enable foraging, and I've also put a 2ft square tray of dry sieved soil from a dry part of the polytunnel and they are dustbthing in that as well as in the shavings.

They don't look stressed.  They are eating, drinking, running and flying around and chirping, not sounding stressed until we go in and pull another damaged one out!  All the injured are in boxes in the dining room with food and water and that purple spray Aunty told me about on their bums, but some of them are still pecking the violet bums!!!

Strangely, the ones still in the converted shed are okay!

Brian wants to put the injured ones into these black crates we have with newspaper on the bottoms, food and water and stack them in the converted G/H, but something is telling me that is not a good idea, what do you think?  Oh Karl, I'm so worried about them..  I don't know what to try next!

[muntjac]

they are cooking and getting stressed if they are in a greenhouse with black plastic on it ... the plastic will increase the temperature as its non reflective .they are fighting to get cool get rid of the bubble wrap and just white out the top windows with emulsion......and open every vent you have

[GrannieAnnie]

but the thermometer says its only 25 ish?? and the hatchery says in their 2nd week they should be 28-30C

[muntjac]

yes nannie with a heat bulb you can raise and lower to control the heat . in a greenhouse its gonna be 25c one minute n 30c the next its not a stable temperature id have em out the greenhouse into a shed with a heat bulb 3 ft above them .and when they huddle close up then lower it till they feel comfy and move around ............. when the chicks are cold they seek the heat and when to hot they move away .in the greenhouse they dont have that choice nana plus its hot air coming in and getting super heated ..

[GrannieAnnie]

Thanks Karl, I'll go and see what i can do, there isn't enough room in the converted shed for all 300 now they are a bit bigger.

What do you think I should do with the purple lot?  I don't like Brian's idea of putting them in crates and stacking them up, but he's got it into his head its a good idea!

[muntjac]

if you mean back into the greenhouse .. the nearer the roof the hotter it will be .. get some sheets of hardboard and bend them into a circle by joining 2 together and tape them using gaffa tape then put the chicks in them and put a light above them .if you have spare room in the garage or anywhere in the dry id get the lot out of the greenhouse even a large tent will do

[GrannieAnnie]

Thank you for the PM Karl!  Just to update!  Right, I've emptied my other garden shed and we have transferred the hardboard circle FROM the greenhouse into the other shed.  Its a tad smaller, but at least its not a greenhouse!!!  (I TOLD him the greenhouse wasn't a good idea!!)

And we've transferred the infra red heat lamp and the thermometer etc over there.  The okay chicks from the greenhouse are in the new shed now, and look much happier!  The purple tipped chicks are in a BIG box in Brian's shed!  When should I put them all together again?  As when I put the purple ones back in with the others, they were still pecking the purple bits, even purple ones were pecking the purple bits!!!!

[GrannieAnnie]

Well, me and the dog have just been out to check on the youngsters, and they are all sleeping, except for the one they keep on guard!!!

They are looking much happier now, and no more bloddy bums!!!!  So hopefully all will be well.

Oh, what it is to live with someone who thinks he knows it all!!!!!!

I told him the greenhouse was a bad idea.  His son told him the black plastic was a bad idea, I told him putting the injured chicks in crates in the greenhouse would be a bad idea......

Does he listen???
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>
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NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel extremely cream crackered at the moment, so I'm just checking in, then I'm off to bed.

Nite nite all, and a special thank you to Munty for all his help.  At least being a MAN, Brian listens to YOU!!!!!!    

[richyrich7]

Nite Grannie glad to hear they are ok

[noshed]

Crikey I'm all worn out by all that drama. Glad it turned out OK Grannie.

[GrannieAnnie]

I can't believe how tiring it all is, old age creeping up obviously!!!!    

[Sally A]

I'm not really into chooks, but I've had my fingers crossed all day for you, and kept tuning in for an update.

All the best

[muntjac]

no worries .id make another coop for the injured ones and get some lettuce hanging up or sweetcorn cobs layed around the floor this wil help to deter the others from pecking each other.. if you can id try and split the numbers up . groups of 50 would be best but 75 should do ,chicks need space to feel comfy in.....