March 25, 2011

I've read about it, skimmed over those sections of the books, but today I had to quarantine my Welsummer. 

Yesterday morning when I was changing their paper towels, I had them next to the brooder in the shoe box I brought them home in.  As I was transferring them back to the brooder, she jumped out of my hand, landed on the edge of the counter and fell about 3 feet total to the ground.  She seemed fine afterwards, but was "in bed" earlier than her sisters.  I just had to take this picture of her last night. I don't think it's a bad thing, but she was VERY cute.

In case you can't tell through the frosted plastic bin and in the red lamp light, she's got her body on the water board with her neck draped over the edge toward the heat lamp.  The black lump behind her is the Barred Rock.  The Golden Laced Wyndotte is behind the feeder as far from the heat lamp as possible.  Maybe 95 degrees isn't the right setting for them anymore?

Anyway, later that day I noticed a spot on the Welsummer's tail. I took a picture of the big brownish-red wart on her back end, just below what I believe is her vent.  Sorry you can't see it well through the feathers, I couldn't hold the bird, clear the feathers away and take the picture.  My third hand is in the shop.

So this morning she was a bit slow to get up, at least until the CATS decided to investigate while I was at the other end of the house.  Yep, I found the sickly one on the toilet seat/viewing area and my big boy cat on the counter!  They scattered when I opened the door, but shame on them!  Anyway, I decided it was officially time to quarantine her and ask for help on BackyardChickens.com.

At this point, I had to rig up something for a quarantine bin.  I had always planned on using the brooder as a quarantine area eventually, but I hadn't imagined I'd need to quarantine a chick.  So, I grabbed a currently empty storage bin from the garage (it's new so clean), threw down some paper towels and got a couple of custard cups for food and water, and set it up right next to the bin, over the sink.

It was THEN that I realized I needed a heat lamp for the quarantine space too.  At first I thought of rigging up my old dish lamp with a 100 watt bulb, but then I thought of stretching chain to make the heat lamp cover both bins.

Then, to hold it in place, I grabbed another S-clip, grabbed the very hot chain and hooked it to the medicine cabinet.  Pretty ingenious if I do say so myself.

So, for now at least, the brooder box is looking mighty lonely with just the two chicks in there.  You can tell they're missing their sister.

Of course I'll keep you informed.  In the end, I am already getting another chick next Wednesday, and could easily replace her if she doesn't make it.  I just hope she's ok.

As an update, boy are they loud being separated! They just sit as close to each other as possible looking at one another. The good news is that the temp in both bins is the same, around 95, and the Welsummer is a bit more active. Boy do I want to play with them.

Enjoy your garden!