Are Japanese fragile?

[columbiacritter]

I've had more issues with my Japanese chicks than any others I've ever raised. Even the other little banties have been way tougher than these guys.

We were gung ho to raise them but are really getting turned off by our losses. We aren't doing anything different than we have with other loads of chicks. In fact I'm being far more diligent in monitoring temps, water changes, grinding food to a smaller size ect. None of the standard chicks in the same brooder have shown any issues at all.

Are these guys just that much more fragile or have I bought a bum lot of chicks?

 

[Feathered Wings]

I bought some Japs from TSC and they have done great.
They haven't been anymore difficult than the others to raise.

Aren't they so cute these are about 3 months old

 

[columbiacritter]

How old were yours when you could comfortably sex them?

 

[pamperedpoultry]

I've raised quite a few, some hatched in an incubator and some under broody hens, I don't think I've lost any. They seem pretty hardy to me.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

I have raised some japanese in the past and I found them quite easy to raise. Its salmon favorelles (sp?) that I can't raise to save my soul.

 

[columbiacritter]

I've lost 5 of 19. I've never lost a chick after the first 3 days accept by some accident related injury.

Bad luck I guess. Hopefully the rest make it and I get at least 5 hens.

 

[moodusnewchick]

i have four. one i raised from cotton ball size, she's great and friendly. the others i received when they were older...but still young. they're stand-offish. they were all hardy through the winter and actually walked around in the snow. i wonder if you're experiencing problems with the fatal gene they carry. there's something about a short/long leg gene that results in low hatch rates.