American serama thread!

[Scovy Momma]

Ugh, my Poe is still broody (& bad at setting) & cranky & it's getting very old. I've tried different things to break her of it but it's just not working. I miss my friendly serama.

& I haven't seen Ra_, I do hope he figured out how to get the Tribbs to hatch with an incubator...

 

[formerchickenlass]

Yes. More and more. Has anyone figured out how to stop egg laying and brooding short of keeping them in the dark?

I stop egg laying by giving eggs to entice brooding (even fake ones). I stop brooding by sticking them in a wire bottom cage with feet and placing outdoors in shade when it's nice to do so. I've been told you can also give seramas a quarter tab of a baby aspirin to break broodiness. I tried once and the hen wasn't completely broken of it after her first dose. I think it would've worked eventually, the advice was given to me by a lifelong chicken keeper. But I just don't really care for pilling birds if I don't have to. For me it's not so bad to just toss her in a cage for 3 days instead.

As for your earlier question about breeding micro seramas, I agree with shahtir101. My understanding is that when one pays attention to the size of the birds and pairs like with like, fertility improves.

 

[nchls school]

I stop egg laying by giving eggs to entice brooding (even fake ones). I stop brooding by sticking them in a wire bottom cage with feet and placing outdoors in shade when it's nice to do so. I do the same, but the cycle continues. Continual brooding and egg laying has to have an effect on the bird-eventually.I've been told you can also give seramas a quarter tab of a baby aspirin to break broodiness. I tried once and the hen wasn't completely broken of it after her first dose. I think it would've worked eventually, the advice was given to me by a lifelong chicken keeper. But I just don't really care for pilling birds if I don't have to.I agree. For me it's not so bad to just toss her in a cage for 3 days instead. Then egg laying starts again. As for your earlier question about breeding micro seramas, I agree with shahtir101 . My understanding is that when one pays attention to the size of the birds and pairs like with like, fertility improves.

My experience has been different. Overall my hatch rate is 50% with almost every egg being fertile/half DIS. But when I paired my hens to a much larger rooster (2 pounds-also serama) 90-95% of the eggs hatched. I do not continue using the rooster in that the offspring are not the quality that I am striving for.[. /COLOR]

 

[nchls school]

Ugh, my Poe is still broody (& bad at setting) & cranky & it's getting very old. I've tried different things to break her of it but it's just not working. I miss my friendly serama.

& I haven't seen Ra_, I do hope he figured out how to get the Tribbs to hatch with an incubator...  

Ra_ has not posted since May. I miss his posts and pictures of tribbles. I also wonder about Ra_s efforts to improve fertility. My tribbles (avatar) are now 2 months old-both pullets-I think.

 

[formerchickenlass]

My experience has been different. Overall my hatch rate is 50% with almost every egg being fertile/half DIS. But when I paired my hens to a much larger rooster (2 pounds-also serama) 90-95% of the eggs hatched. I do not continue using the rooster in that the offspring are not the quality that I am striving for.[. /COLOR]

Ok I may have misunderstood. I now think you are saying you wish to stop egg laying without inducing broodiness, is that correct? If so then the only healthy way I would know to do that temporarily is modifying the amount of light birds have each day, as I believe you already mentioned. Would be interested if anyone else knows another method.

Given your experience with the larger rooster and what others have reported, I'm thinking there must not be a catch-all solution. It seems some do better by pairing like with like and others by pairing small with large, so maybe the only good advice is to switch the mates if a pairing isn't working, trial & error. In any of these cases the real culprit may not be size at all. Could be any other genetic factor.

 

[nchls school]

Ok I may have misunderstood. I now think you are saying you wish to stop egg laying without inducing broodiness, is that correct? Yes.If so then the only healthy way I would know to do that temporarily is modifying the amount of light birds have each day, as I believe you already mentioned. Would be interested if anyone else knows another method. Yes, that is what I would like to know.

Given your experience with the larger rooster and what others have reported, I'm thinking there must not be a catch-all solution. It seems some do better by pairing like with like and others by pairing small with large, so maybe the only good advice is to switch the mates if a pairing isn't working, trial & error. This what I have been doing. With not knowing a bird's genetic background trial and error are all that is left.In any of these cases the real culprit may not be size at all. Could be any other genetic factor. Exactly my thought.

I have tried several roosters in the last year; I am happy with a 50% hatch-my chicks are now a small uniform size and I see improvement with each generation.

 

[little]

hi everyone .just purchased a pair of seramas. they haven't been handled and are very fearful of me. does anyone have helpful ideas?also can someone recommend a good book on raising seramas?

 

[Poultrybonkers]

How soon after eggs hatch can a serama go broody? My chicks are 4-5 weeks old and all my hens want nothing to do with them after 2-3 weeks.

 

[nchls school]

How soon after eggs hatch can a serama go broody? My chicks are 4-5 weeks old and all my hens want nothing to do with them after 2-3 weeks.

My hens start laying when their chicks are three weeks old. They continue to care for their chicks as they lay weaning the chicks a couple days before going broody again. Clutches are between 5-10 eggs. So in answer to your question-about 5 weeks after the first eggs hatch they are brooding the next clutch.

 

[16 paws]

hi everyone .just purchased a pair of seramas. they haven't been handled and are very fearful of me. does anyone have helpful ideas?also can someone recommend a good book on raising seramas?

Just remember when you interact with them to never come from above with a hand reaching for them. This reminds them of a predator. I get down to their level and hand them treats. If they wont come at first I put them down on the ground and just stay with them as they eat.Then I gradually bring in the treats closer to me. Using treats will help them get to know you and trust you. It just takes time to work with them. They are very friendly birds in my experience. Good luck and enjoy them, they are wonderful.
Marie