Is anyone well versed in raising d'Anvers? We have ordered 60 this spring. The first 15 all died within a week. Only two other babies of the other 15 ordered died, a bantam cochin and a sebright. We only have 3 left of the second order of 15. Didn't lose any other other 15 ordered. Yesterday we picked up our order of 30 d'Anvers from the post office. 6 were already dead, one died after getting wet in the quail waterer and three more were dead this morning. They shipped out Monday. None should have been dead from lack of food or water, but the 6 that arrived dead were already starting to stink.
We use a quail waterer so they don't drown. We wet the chick feed to a mash so even the extra tiny ones can eat it. We check for poopy butt constantly throughout the day. They are in the house, so no temperature fluctuations. Yesterdays group is under a heat lamp, the other two groups were under a brooder plate.
The first group was from Welp, second and third from Privett.
What are we doing wrong? Are they really that delicate? We have lost more than even our Serama babies in the brooder and with mamas combined. We lose about 20-25% of our Seramas, but we have lost over 50% of our d'Anvers.
In 33 years of having bantams of different breeds, this is by far the most difficult breed for us to raise. We have raised bantam cochins, d'Uccle, Serama, OEGB, Dutch bantams, sebright, cornish, brahma, polish, japanese, silkie, satin and showgirl. The only visable difference is that belgian quail color seem smaller than anything else except Serama. They look like our Serama babies, but with long legs. The other color of d'Anvers babies we have are just as hardy as the other breeds and started out bigger.
Any help, advice, suggestions are welcome. My daughter and I are losing hope. She loves their personality and the quail color, but I don't think either of us can stand any more baby death.
We use a quail waterer so they don't drown. We wet the chick feed to a mash so even the extra tiny ones can eat it. We check for poopy butt constantly throughout the day. They are in the house, so no temperature fluctuations. Yesterdays group is under a heat lamp, the other two groups were under a brooder plate.
The first group was from Welp, second and third from Privett.
What are we doing wrong? Are they really that delicate? We have lost more than even our Serama babies in the brooder and with mamas combined. We lose about 20-25% of our Seramas, but we have lost over 50% of our d'Anvers.
In 33 years of having bantams of different breeds, this is by far the most difficult breed for us to raise. We have raised bantam cochins, d'Uccle, Serama, OEGB, Dutch bantams, sebright, cornish, brahma, polish, japanese, silkie, satin and showgirl. The only visable difference is that belgian quail color seem smaller than anything else except Serama. They look like our Serama babies, but with long legs. The other color of d'Anvers babies we have are just as hardy as the other breeds and started out bigger.
Any help, advice, suggestions are welcome. My daughter and I are losing hope. She loves their personality and the quail color, but I don't think either of us can stand any more baby death.
