Used Omlet outdoor rabbit run Width 2.2m Height 2.05m Length 3.1m vgc.

[Kit]

Hi

 

Question for those who have successfully hatched chicks. - If I were to give my broody hen some fertilised eggs how would I go about making sure that they are vaccinated against disease? My concern is I have quite a few wild pheasants strutting their stuff in and around my garden and I would hate for the new chicks to catch a disease from them.

 

Is it common for private breeders to vaccinate their chicks?

 

Thanks

Kit

[poachedegg]

From what I've read vaccines are only available in bulk therefore only tends to be large scale breeders that vaccinate.

 

We have got 6 Silver Wynadotte eggs in the incubator at the moment of which at least 5 (still unsure on the last one) are fertile, so am really pleased with them - if you were interested we got them from Garden Hens in Aston in Budworth http://gardenhens.web.officelive.com/CurrentAvailability.aspx.

 

This is the first time we've done it and so far it's been really good especially doing the candling.

[Kit]

ooohh Poached how exciting.

 

I just feel so sorry for my speckedly hen - think I should give her a chance to be a mother but I'm not convinced with the threat of disease because the volume of wild birds in my garden.

 

Good luck with yours!

[Tweety]

Hi Kit,

 

I have just hatched some chicks, and have a garden full of pheasants too. My chicks are not old enough to be in the garden yet, but my plan is to put them on concrete initially, having cleaned it first and sprinkled it with Biodri before covering it with Hemcore. A cover over the run should protect them from droppings from above!

At the same time, I plan to fence off a bit of garden using omlet netting to keep the pheasants off it for a few weeks before allowing the chicks onto it.

I don't know how much protection this will give them, but it is not feasible to vaccinate on such a small scale. My other hens have not picked up any diseases from the pheasants, so I am hoping that the precautions I have planned will help the chicks to avoid them too

Alternatively you could buy some vaccinated chicks from a breeder, but that won't help your speckledy hen!

[Redwing]

Most pure breed breeders dont vaccinate and have few problems

 

The thing to remember is that if you can bring chicks up on ground uncontaminated by adult hens its always beneficial but not essential

 

Wild birds will pass on mites to hens but to be honest dont pose much more of a health threat than that really just observe common sense practices like keep drinkers and feeders covered

[Kit]

Thank you for all your advice.

 

Incidentally have I left it too late as hen has been broody for about 1 week?

 

Cheers

Kit

[JillM]

My hen had been broody for a week before the eggs arrived to go under her. Five out of eight hatched and they are growing very well at 10 days old! If you were to get eggs of an autosexing breed, like the cream legbars, then you would know the cockerels from the hens at 1 day old

[Kit]

Hello

 

Once again, thank you for responding to my questions.

 

I bought 6 barnevelders eggs today from garden poultry in Frodsham and the best is that they will take any cockerels from me.

 

Kit

[Tweety]

That's great news Kit! Barnevelders are lovely - happy hatching!