Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Phosphorus]

Third chick (a Ayandotte) was nearly out and cheeping lustily as I left

 

 

 

Ooh dying to know what a Ayandotte looks like Great news on the new arrival but sorry to hear about the CLs - have you tried the water bob test?

[Redwing]

No more eggs have hatched, I am going to goodle the water bob test as I have not heard of it before

 

One of the chicks is not doing ok though, it has splayed legs which I have hobbled sucessfully however it also has a clicky chest and I dont think its going to be ok, it is lying down with its eyes closed but doesnt actually seem to be having any problems breathing,it also shakes its head a lot so I am worried about lung/brain development I am going to wait to see if its just sheer exhaustion or if its ill but am prepared for the worst

[ClaireG]

Oh no

[Griffin]

One of my Orp chicks was throughly exhausted after hatching, didn't look good at all, legs all over the place and just wanted to lay down. A Dorking was similar and I was on the verge of culling them both but decided to leave them a day or so. It wasn't just normal newborn chick drunkeness, I've never seen chicks this ill. Thankfully the Orp did gain strength, managed to get both it's legs to co-operate and within 48 hours was running around with the rest of them. The Dorking didn't improve though. Little Orp is still the smallest (they're 2 weeks old today) but it's doing ok so don't give up just yet.

[Lewis]

Have you taped up the splayed chicks legs?

 

I've seen a few chicks like this and some pulled through, others had to be culled. I think its because the temperature is too high - which could be true because of the hot weather we've had recently.

[Redwing]

Incubator is one of those idiot proof ones with a big red line on the thermometer which indicates mercury should be here idiot! so I hope its ok, we kept the curtains closed all week to prevent the sunlight raising the termp but I guess its not all foolproof

 

The third chick now has eyes open and seems to move around (but never when I am looking ) I tied its legs to their correct positions as soon as I saw the splayed legs - apparently I took too long getting the chick out of the inccy so it slipped around a bit as it clambered over the other eggs when it got more active, the floor of the inccy is non slip though! blinking Evil Knievel chicks

Edited June 9, 2009 by Guest

[tidygirlsuk]

Congratulations on the chicks.I hope that your sick chick pulls though.

[The Dogmother]

Fingers crossed Tasha.

 

Try a few grains of Avipro in the water to perk them up.

[Phosphorus]

No more eggs have hatched, I am going to goodle the water bob test as I have not heard of it before

 

Get a warm bowl of water (baby bottle temp, test with elbow) and put eggs in one by one, wait to settle and then if alive in there the egg should bob about. Best of luck.

[Redwing]

Thanks you, I have just had a go and no bobbing not sure if I can face opening them to see what went wrong

[Phosphorus]

Thanks you, I have just had a go and no bobbing not sure if I can face opening them to see what went wrong

 

Not pleasant - can give you an idea of what stage things stopped working at or even if not fertile to begin with. I did it with mine, sad to see 2 of mine were pretty much there but hadn't made it to breaking the shell - had even heard one cheeping the day before Only consolation is some things aren't meant to be and nature has a way of dealing with it.

 

Up to you if you think you will gain anything from opening them, if not no need to put yourself through it

[tidygirlsuk]

I removed and broke two of mine open last week. It was scary but I'm glad that I did it now. luckly for me they were both infertile so there wasn't anything upseting to see. Good luck with what ever you decide to do.

[Redwing]

I opened the eggs this evening just to see, the two cream legbars were fully formed and ready to hatch but had simply died at the last minute I suppose, they were both girls and it was heartbreaking to see them

 

The last egg, a welsummer had died too but earlier possibly about the 16-18 day mark

 

On the plus side thats 100% fertility for the eggs so I will let the breeder know

 

My bum shuffler is still bum shuffling but much more alert after a dose of Avipro (as recommended by Claret) but he/she still has an uphill struggle I feel. D day is tomorrow tea time and we will make a decision then

[Cooks]

oh I am sorry about the cream Legbars, I was hoping for you that they were late hatchers

[The Dogmother]

Lovely to see you today Tasha Sorry to hear about the bum-shuffler - perhaps the little fella just isn't strong enough to make it.

[mostin]

So sorry to hear some of the chicks didn't make it , I hope the rest are doing ok.

[Phosphorus]

Sorry about the cream legbars - I had the same, two pretty much fully formed dis, so I know how you feel. Hope the bottom shuffler makes it past tomorrow

[Egg Lou]

Sorry about your Legbars .. hows the bottom shuffler this morning? My weak one is pulling through so fingers crossed yours is getting stronger too..

[tidygirlsuk]

Sorry to hear about your legbars. Theres always another time in the future maybe. x

[Redwing]

I have culled the third chick, it was apparent its problems went beyond splayed legs

 

So we are left with two bouncy little chicks who are a male (we think) Welsummer (who we intend to keep) and a female (we think) partridge Wyandotte who will go in with the layers when she is old enough

[Falkor]

Sorry to hear about the Cream Legbars and the splayed leg chick

 

Good news about the other two though! Ohhhh.... a partridge wyandotte

[The Dogmother]

Sorry to hear the news Tasha, he obviously wasn't viable but thst still doesn't help, does it?

 

The other two sound gorgeous, can't wait for more photos.

[Griffin]

Sorry to hear about your little one, I've just lost my weakling Orp too

[Redwing]

Thanks all sorry to hear about your orp Griffin x

[tidygirlsuk]

Sorry to hear that you had to cull your chick great news about the others though