Bielefelder thread!!!!

[BlueBaby]

I'm glad that part of my hatch is done. I ended up with 3 Welsh Harlequin duckling's, and 9 Bielefelder/naked neck mixes from my neighbors hen's with my rooster over them. They needed some younger girls over there, and didn't have their own rooster.

I do have some pure Bielefelder's that should be hatching on the first of next month. I think I might take a hatching break after these for a while.

 

[Awaytome]

So I lost the weak chick this morning and now a second chick is looking very weak, not opening its eyes. I'm giving sugar water with a vitamin mix and chick feed, using a heat plate to keep them warm. The others are active and eating. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[BlueBaby]

So I lost the weak chick this morning and now a second chick is looking very weak, not opening its eyes. I'm giving sugar water with a vitamin mix and chick feed, using a heat plate to keep them warm. The others are active and eating. Am I doing something wrong?

I don't think that you are doing anything wrong. As I have been reading other threads here at the site, many people are having problem's with hatchery chick's this year. Even TSC get's their chick's from hatcheries.

 

[Awaytome]

Second chick just died. The others are very active, jumping up on the heat plate, ducking underneath it, scratching at the food they knock out of the feeder and drinking in between all that.
I'm being extra cautious now about drafts and temperature outside the heat plate in case that was an issue. The shipping seemed unusually long to me and I was afraid the chicks would be very stressed. They were shipped to the hub Tuesday afternoon and didn't arrive here until Saturday morning. I called McMurray about it but they thought it would be OK. So now I'm down to the six chicks I wanted and am hoping they are all females as ordered. If there's a next time chick order, I will find a closer hatchery and pick up in person!

 

[BlueBaby]

Second chick just died. The others are very active, jumping up on the heat plate, ducking underneath it, scratching at the food they knock out of the feeder and drinking in between all that.
I'm being extra cautious now about drafts and temperature outside the heat plate in case that was an issue. The shipping seemed unusually long to me and I was afraid the chicks would be very stressed. They were shipped to the hub Tuesday afternoon and didn't arrive here until Saturday morning. I called McMurray about it but they thought it would be OK. So now I'm down to the six chicks I wanted and am hoping they are all females as ordered. If there's a next time chick order, I will find a closer hatchery and pick up in person!

Sorry that happened to you. I hatched mine out from shipped hatching egg's before, and if I need more of these I can hatch them from my now adult flock as I have 2 boy's over here now.

 

[Awaytome]

Sorry that happened to you. I hatched mine out from shipped hatching egg's before, and if I need more of these I can hatch them from my now adult flock as I have 2 boy's over here now.

I never thought about hatching from eggs. Might have to consider that too. However, one of my ducks has hatched two clutches and each was all boys and one girl! Talk about disappointing!

 

[BlueBaby]

I never thought about hatching from eggs. Might have to consider that too. However, one of my ducks has hatched two clutches and each was all boys and one girl! Talk about disappointing!

What breed of duck's do you have? I just hatched 3 of the Welsh Harlequins on May 18th. It's 2 girls and a boy.

 

[Awaytome]

What breed of duck's do you have? I just hatched 3 of the Welsh Harlequins on May 18th. It's 2 girls and a boy.

I have runner ducks. My oldest girl, the broody one, is a blue. I kept one of her sons and the two daughters. I added six female chocolate runners last year. So we have nine ducks and one drake.

 

[BlueBaby]

I have runner ducks. My oldest girl, the broody one, is a blue. I kept one of her sons and the two daughters. I added six female chocolate runners last year. So we have nine ducks and one drake.

I did the Welsh Harlequin's, because those can be sexed at hatch too.

 

[Sally PB]

This is Sunny. She seemed to like my foot.

This was the third time with my foot in the brooder. They were scared the first time, then cautiously walked around it. The second time, the walked around it/ignored it.

Today they ran off, then came back. Eventually, they all tried hopping on.

This is Robin. She tried to climb my leg, but the material of my pants was too slippery.

@Awaytome, I'm so sorry you lost 2 chicks.