I got 2 dozen hatching eggs from a breeder. 18 were chocolate laced orpingtons and the other 6 were Easter Eggers. We had just had a cold snap a week before and her fertility had dropped with her previous batch before mine. Out of the 18 orps, 8 were non starters and only 3 ended up hatching where 5/6 of the Easter Eggers hatched. The Easter Eggers hatched on time, but the orps took an extra days, same incubator. All 3 developed much slower (size and feather development) in comparison to the EE they hatched with as well as orps hatched from my own eggs.
One of those chicks has always been "sleepy". It does move around and eat and drink, but spends a lot of time with its eyes closed and moves slower than the rest. It's gaining weight on par with the other 3, but it's behavior is just so lethargic. Any ideas?
Supposedly the slow growth and what not is not typical of this breeders birds. Could the cold snap prior to laying have done something to the viability?
One of those chicks has always been "sleepy". It does move around and eat and drink, but spends a lot of time with its eyes closed and moves slower than the rest. It's gaining weight on par with the other 3, but it's behavior is just so lethargic. Any ideas?
Supposedly the slow growth and what not is not typical of this breeders birds. Could the cold snap prior to laying have done something to the viability?