Bleh, bad luck with a breed

[Prettiest Frog]

All of my chickies are doing great, except the Cubayalas. They've just been dropping like poor little flies, and I've only got one left. I'm starting to think they just weren't good stock to begin with. The one remaining has pasty butt that doesn't seem to want to clear up.

Serves me right for trying to get them from a hatchery. Guess I'll take my chances with fertile eggs from a breeder next time.

 

[Gonzo]

How weird that you're only having issues with 1 breed. Have you contacted the hatchery? Maybe theirs something wrong on their end.

 

[Prettiest Frog]

I did, just in case it was something on their end. They were slightly smaller chicks than the others, but there was plenty of space in the brooder to prevent trampling and it didn't appear to be a case of squashing anyway. I noticed one having problems and lifted it out of the brooder, dipping it's beak in a little water. It actually died in my hand on the way to the chicky ICU brooder where I normally keep birds that need special attention. The survivor is in there now along with the bantam EEs to keep it company, and it seems to be doing better. I've been feeding it quail eggs from the gal that lays consistent double yolkers, but it still has a bit of pasty butt. The bantams think they are in little chick heaven and are quickly becoming spoiled.

 

[MissAnnieFrannie]

You know, just a coincidence I am sure, but I have 5 cubalayas, and I had pasty butt issues as well (they arrived to me with pasty butt. ick). I was able to clean one of them up and prevent it from happening again, but the other one KEEPS it, no matter how often I clean it. I know that it isnt too many treats or anything, and they have started crumble and chick grit and nothing added to the water...yet every morning, noon and night I have had to go clean and care the butt of this one cubalaya!

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Yup, commercial hatchery cubalaya have been notoriously weak and unable to handle the stress of shipping the past couple of years. When you get them, it's very important to start them on something like LS-50, put the heat to them, keep them separate from bigger more robust chicks, and try not to handle them too much (stress!!!). Becareful using high protein foods as that tends to cause pasty butt as much as stress.

You've a better chance with getting and keeping lives with smaller hatcheries/preservation centers, or breeders. However, most breeders I know do not ship live chicks and very few offer hatching eggs.