Isbar thread

[debs_flock]

Info:

4 weeks almost 5 weeks old

Mom and Dad look fine, but I'd say those chicks are only around two weeks old, at most.

 

[Maligator Love]

Mom and Dad look fine, but I'd say those chicks are only around two weeks old, at most.

I just made sure how old they were. They hatched on june 5th and I got them on june 8th. So they are about 2 1/2 - 3 weeks old. My bad, i though i got them on may 28th for some reason

So how do they look for being 2 1/5 - 3 weeks old?

 

[debs_flock]

Quote: For 2.5 weeks old they are probably fine. I find that broody raised chicks are usually a little smaller than chicks we raise ourselves. They probably actually are better off at the end, but they start out smaller. It's because when people raise them, they constantly have high protein food in front of them and get less exercise. They look fine. Good luck with them.

 

[mstarr]

Well, my 2 responders were correct, my muffy cheeked poulet that I thought was an Isbar is not. I emailed the person from whom I got my chicks and she said that it was an Ameraucana. It was mistakenly put in my box. She definitely knew one was missing but didn't know where it had gone. I'm glad she is a hen and I wouldn't dream of giving her up. I'll add a blue egg to my green eggs. Mystery solved!

 

[angel8035]

Lost my favorite new Isbar chick last night. She had a beautiful deep blue color. Woke up and checked on the brooder - she was on her side being walked on. I pulled her out and she promptly started seizing and died. It was so sad.

I just got these chicks about a week ago - two blue isbars and one splash. I've noticed that they are pretty small compared to other chicks the same age. Is this typical of the breed? They have small bodies but long wing feathers already. The splash is somewhat lethargic but has been since the day I got her and seems to be eating regularly enough. The little blue I have is eating like a fiend but his crop feels squishy. Not sure what's going on with them - they are with 12 hatchery chicks who are thriving. Also, they tend to vocalize a lot. Loud peeping. Not the "distress" kind of shrill peeps but just constant chirping. None of the other chicks do that.

Any advise? Do these chicks sound normal? I'd hate to lose the other two as 1. I really like them and 2. they weren't cheap!

Thanks!

 

[Maligator Love]

I have the same problems. My isbars are very small and slow growing compared to other breeds. One of mine is lethargic and not growing. I think they are normally small and calm but this is just my experience

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Just this morning I drove 1 1/2 hours to take some deceased Isbar chicks to a local university's vet diagnostics lab for testing. I hatched and grew out my breeding stock, I have a trio breeding plus two pullets not laying yet, and I am losing 95% or more of each hatch all dead before 4 weeks old. I'm sick of losing so many chicks, this has been going on since I first started incubating my own Isbar eggs 3 or 4 months ago. Incubated and brooded with the rest of my chicks, and no one else dies but the Isbars. They hatch fine and are beautiful healthy little things, then between two and three weeks they stop eating and drinking and peep a lot and after 3 or 4 days they die. Tried treating for Cocci, then tried an antibiotic with no change. I get that they may be more fragile but sheesh....

 

[debs_flock]

Rinda,

Like I mentioned I did have the same problem with the first Isbars I hatched out. Sudden chick death for no apparent reason. But I haven't had the problem when hatching my own eggs. I did send eggs off to someone and they haven't mentioned a problem either.

It will be very interesting to find out what your State vet has to say. Did you end up having to sacrifice a chick for the sample? I wonder if there could be a common denominator in feed, chick or breeding stock. Some nutrient missing that the breed needs. *grasping at straws here*

 

[motherhen71185]

My little isbar I hatched out is a little over a week. He/she eats medicated chick crumbles from purina and is with a silkie hen and 4 other chicks. I kept it in the incubator longer and gave it some save a chick vitamins and nutrients in its water. I also made sure it was eatting well before I put it with the others. It is still the smallest but is growing eatting and happy. guess I will just keep an eye on it. But so far so good. oh and the chick is from eggs from deb. I have 4 more in the bator that I just put in today. with this breed having limited numbers in the us, could it be a possibility the line breeding is getting too close??

 

[debs_flock]

with this breed having limited numbers in the us, could it be a possibility the line breeding is getting too close??

That's always a possibility with a rare breed.

I would think if the problem were all inbreeding, I'd be having problems with my F2's and so far I haven't. I've hatched about ten for myself (2-3 here and there), the oldest now are about ready to move in with the adults.