Backyard Brahmas!!

[bumpercarr]

Has anyone ever had problems with the legs of their chicks turning out? It's not "splayed leg" though, it's something else. I wanted to know if it's genetic. Everything I read is "it's this or it's that'. Just wondering if anyone else had this experience? I got some eggs from ebay, & while most of the eggs hatched, some of them are messed up-having this leg thing & 2 even have beaks that turn sideways. It's not "scissor beak", but it looks like their whole face turns sideways. Needless to say, I will be culling or putting them in the pot if they live. I also bought other eggs from this person (before this hatch) & NONE hatched. I know they say hatch rate is poor in shipped eggs but this lady didn't even care enough to answer me. She's out of Harmony, NC.

Without actually seeing your chicks, I can't tell you for sure what the problem is. I know that I have had shipped eggs in the past (not from the breeder you are mentioning) where the chicks had an Achilles tendon problem, can be caused by poor nutrition in the parents or by an injury. I can't imagine what type of beak/head problem that you are describing. The only problems that I've ever seen in chicks is cross beak/scissor beak which also can be caused by poor hen nutrition (and egg exposed to freezing temperatures). I guess if I were you I just wouldn't buy any more eggs from this person. Check out the American Brahma Club website, the breeder's section and also take a look on the ABC facebook page. There was a post this morning from someone that is taking orders for hatching eggs. Maybe one of them can help you out.

Generally speaking, shipped eggs have a lower hatch rate. I've had many shipped and sometimes get a 0% hatch rate. Did any of them start? What I do (and recommend) is that after setting the eggs, I candle at about day 7. If I have any non starters (usually quite a few) I'll open one or two to see if there were fertilized. If they were fertilized and didn't start, it is usually because of the shipping and handling by the post office. You'll just have to keep looking until you find a breeder that you are pretty sure is sending you fertilized eggs. The breeder can't control the post office, but can pack in a manner that makes the stress from handling less of a problem. I have found that any breeders that offer me really low shipping usually give me really poor packing to save money. I'd rather pay $20 for the shipping and know that my eggs have the best chance of making it.

What variety are you trying to hatch?

 

[BeachBumBiddies]

Without actually seeing your chicks, I can't tell you for sure what the problem is. I know that I have had shipped eggs in the past (not from the breeder you are mentioning) where the chicks had an Achilles tendon problem, can be caused by poor nutrition in the parents or by an injury. I can't imagine what type of beak/head problem that you are describing. The only problems that I've ever seen in chicks is cross beak/scissor beak which also can be caused by poor hen nutrition (and egg exposed to freezing temperatures). I guess if I were you I just wouldn't buy any more eggs from this person. Check out the American Brahma Club website, the breeder's section and also take a look on the ABC facebook page. There was a post this morning from someone that is taking orders for hatching eggs. Maybe one of them can help you out.

Generally speaking, shipped eggs have a lower hatch rate. I've had many shipped and sometimes get a 0% hatch rate. Did any of them start? What I do (and recommend) is that after setting the eggs, I candle at about day 7. If I have any non starters (usually quite a few) I'll open one or two to see if there were fertilized. If they were fertilized and didn't start, it is usually because of the shipping and handling by the post office. You'll just have to keep looking until you find a breeder that you are pretty sure is sending you fertilized eggs. The breeder can't control the post office, but can pack in a manner that makes the stress from handling less of a problem. I have found that any breeders that offer me really low shipping usually give me really poor packing to save money. I'd rather pay $20 for the shipping and know that my eggs have the best chance of making it.

What variety are you trying to hatch?

Thanks for the response. The only ones I've had the problem with were the Blue Brahma eggs I got from NC. I have NEVER seen a chicken with this problem, although i am no expert. If it was an achilles tendon problem, it would be a problem with the part of the leg by the foot, correct? This problem is on the hock. The bent beak thing I have never seen either. I have seen scissor beak & this isn't it unless it's a different form of it. I am just curious to see if someone thinks/knows it's genetic or something that happens in the egg or some nutritional deficit in the parent stock. It's not really a big deal because i have decided to cull them all but i would be interested in knowing. I will try to get pics.

 

[bumpercarr]

Thanks for the response. The only ones I've had the problem with were the Blue Brahma eggs I got from NC. I have NEVER seen a chicken with this problem, although i am no expert. If it was an achilles tendon problem, it would be a problem with the part of the leg by the foot, correct? This problem is on the hock. The bent beak thing I have never seen either. I have seen scissor beak & this isn't it unless it's a different form of it. I am just curious to see if someone thinks/knows it's genetic or something that happens in the egg or some nutritional deficit in the parent stock. It's not really a big deal because i have decided to cull them all but i would be interested in knowing. I will try to get pics.

The Achilles tendon is in the hock. Makes the lower leg stick out sort of sideways. Not splay leg. If you google it, you will find some pictures.

 

[BeachBumBiddies]

Ok...I guess that's what it is then. Do you think it is genetic or ??

 

[bumpercarr]

Ok...I guess that's what it is then. Do you think it is genetic or ??

More than likely poor nutrition of the laying hen. Nothing that you could control. I'm only saying poor nutrition because they (in my opinion) may have both slipped Achilles tendons and cross/scissor beaks. Both can be caused by poor nutrition in the parents, so that is why I'm leaning that way. You probably just need to find a new breeder. Also, as hard as it may be, I'd probably put down the chicks now. It is unlikely that they will get better and are probably suffering and will continue to suffer.

 

[big medicine]

I once had a small group of blue columbian Brahmas. They were a related group, sisters, nieces, etc. They all were in the same pen, eating the same feed, yet some of them layed very fragile weak shelled eggs. By all outward signs they had the look of eggs produced by a bird not getting enough calcium.

I suspect that a couple of these gals had some sort of inability to process the ample calcium in their diet, which I also suspect was probably genetic in origin.

 

[bumpercarr]

I had the same problem with two RIRs that I had a few years back. They got the same feed as everyone else, yet they didn't seem to process it correctly. Misshapen eggs, never did put on weight as they should have. So, I guess what I'm saying is that it may also not be that the breeder is not feeding appropriately, it may be that the birds are not processing the food as they should. This could come from a lot of different things, but I would say that there is a problem in that particular breeder's flock which is why I probably wouldn't buy from them again until they have it figured out. Another cause could be eggs freezing during shipment, which can also cause malformations in the chicks.

Most breeder should check fertility before selling hatching eggs, it is the only way that they know for sure that they are selling you eggs that will develop if everything goes right. It's possible that these problems didn't crop up when she/he did their fertility check.

It's heartbreaking to wait so long for the hatching eggs to arrive, then wait for them to hatch only to find that you have chicks that are malformed. Don't give up, even though you may be feeling slightly discouraged right now. There are other options for getting some eggs that will work out for you.

 

[BeachBumBiddies]

More than likely poor nutrition of the laying hen. Nothing that you could control. I'm only saying poor nutrition because they (in my opinion) may have both slipped Achilles tendons and cross/scissor beaks. Both can be caused by poor nutrition in the parents, so that is why I'm leaning that way. You probably just need to find a new breeder. Also, as hard as it may be, I'd probably put down the chicks now. It is unlikely that they will get better and are probably suffering and will continue to suffer.

Thanks! I just read a whole lot of contradictory info on where it comes from. I will def cull. My DH wanted to grow them out & eat them but I think they are too messed up for that. I don't want them to be in pain for months. Needless to say, i won't buy from that person again. I was just hoping to get some different genetics for my blue Brahma project. :/ Thanks again for all the help.

 

[Brandi9]

My two new brahma chicks. These two are my first chickens.

 

[Brandi9]

soooooooooooo I was wondering if any thought this may or may not be a brahma cross?