The Buckeye Thread

[Arielle]

Quote: Thank you for the detailed answer!!!

HOw old are the girls that start in AUg and Sep? WHen do you hatch them?

Do the hens synchonize their laying and resting cycle?

 

[dds3]

We got 12 two week old buckeye chicks on Saturday. One died today after appearing to have respiratory distress and sleeping a lot. This chick seemed to be fine about 2:00 pm and died about 6:00. Now we have a second chick doing the same thing. We had two with pasty butt Saturday afternoon after we got home the one in distress now was one of the two. Not sure about the other that died this afternoon.

Any one have suggestions or recommendations? All the other chick seem to be doing fine. This one and the other seem to be smaller than the others. Attached is a picture of the one in distress now. Breathing heavily, eyes closed and as close as possible to the heat lamp.

Thanks for your assistance.

Darrell

 

[poltroon]

There is a forum category on BYC just for chick emergencies that probably will be more timely and more helpful than this thread. I tend to rely on keeping the butt clean, making sure the chick is warm, and a little sugar water for these cases. Sometimes it helps to separate them if they're getting physically pushed out of the light or food or water. The sad fact is that I generally expect a few losses here and there... some chicks (of any breeding) don't have all the pieces in the right place for a long and healthy life.. Fingers crossed that the rest of the batch stays strong and healthy, and good luck with this one.

 

[dds3]

Sadly, she didn't make it through the night. Seemed a little better at 1 am when I checked on her, at 3:30 she had died. The others all seem to be doing well. I had already posted in the emergency forum, but was checking to see if there was anything buckeye specific. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Blueface]

Thank you for the detailed answer!!!

HOw old are the girls that start in AUg and Sep? WHen do you hatch them?

Do the hens synchonize their laying and resting cycle?

Usually they are hatched in Feb and March through the first couple of weeks in April. I don't hatch anything after that......well...LF bucks anyway. So they are right aroung 6 months give or take a coupel weeks. No, my hens don't synchonize their cycles. Most of my hens are different based on the number of eggs they will lay per clutch. There is no ideal number; they just do what they do but if they have a good diet and are well taken care of (make sure they are too fat); they lay more eggs.

 

[Blueface]

I know the cycles of my better brood hens by heart it would seem; I don't mass produce my bucks like many others do. I keep good track of my hens and what/how they do for me. I could probably tell you which hens laid eggs today.....lol.

 

[Blueface]

Any one have suggestions or recommendations? All the other chick seem to be doing fine. This one and the other seem to be smaller than the others.

Thanks for your assistance.

Darrell

I know this sounds mean but shipping or transporting puts a great deal of stress on the young ones; especially at that age. If they are weak; its in your best interest to cull them. Especially if the others are fine. The weaker chicks are more susceptable to illnesses and you don't want them to make the others ill. losing 1 or 2 is better than losing them all.

 

[dds3]

I know this sounds mean but shipping or transporting puts a great deal of stress on the young ones; especially at that age. If they are weak; its in your best interest to cull them. Especially if the others are fine. The weaker chicks are more susceptable to illnesses and you don't want them to make the others ill. losing 1 or 2 is better than losing them all.

Of course, you are correct. I just wanted to make sure I was doing all I could reasonably do to get them through the distress as well as not effecting the others.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Double checking on your meaning here--- they should be fat? Or not fat?

I know the cycles of my better brood hens by heart it would seem; I don't mass produce my bucks like many others do. I keep good track of my hens and what/how they do for me. I could probably tell you which hens laid eggs today.....lol.

lol I look closely at the eggs too.

 

[Blueface]

My bad....make sure they are not fat. Missed a word. I've noticed with my aseels, Cornish and my bucks that overweight hens don't lay as well. Heck, with my aseels and Cornish; they won't lay at all.