Brooding help needed

[Robertrayklein2]

Just hatched my first batch of Corturnix hatch was ok could have been better... 32 of 65 hatched. 10 more practically hatched but expired after breaking big holes in the shell.... But now lost another dozen to leg issues in a week in the brooder. I think shells may have been to thick from feeding too much calcium which i have corrected. Not understanding why the leg problems; i am brooding in a 20 gallon aquarium with heatlamp. 95 degrees inside consistant. Waterers in corners. Paper towels for bedding food scattered on the floor. Nine chicks splayed legs 1 bumblefoot. What am i doing wrong?

 

[sawilliams]

Do you have vitamins in the water? Save a chick or nurtidrench? Its sounds most likely like a nutritional deficiency. At least that's what i would address first. Also the temp shouldn't be constant throughout. 95 in half with an area they can move to away from the heat.

 

[BirdGirl2004]

Make sure that you have a nice reliable thermometer/hygrometer. Also, 95 is too cold to keep as a constant temp. You should be keeping it as close to 95.5 as you can get. Are you turning the eggs as well? Also the aquarium needs to have a lid, so that when it comes to be day 18-21 it can be warm enough, and have enough humidity!

Hope this helps!

I'm glad you could hatch some eggs out though!

 

[Robertrayklein2]

The aquarium at 95 is my brooder i incubated in a storebought farm inovations incubator with automatic egg turner no i have not done any supplements in their water. N next time. I will do a devider too next time

 

[BirdGirl2004]

The aquarium at 95 is my brooder i incubated in a storebought farm inovations incubator with automatic egg turner no i have not done any supplements in their water. N next time. I will do a devider too next time

OHHH. this makes so much more sense. Okay. Yes, the brooder is fine at 95! I'm not sure why the chicks didn't hatch! Maybe it took too long to collect the eggs so they aren't all viable. Or it could be that they were all able to be fertilized by the rooster?

 

[Robertrayklein2]

Like i said most hatched or almost hatched. But i am loosing em in the first week to splayed leg n other problems. Plus 40 of my eggs where mail order so hatch wasnt terrible but wife isnt happy with chick mortality. And i have to admit i aint either

 

[Robertrayklein2]

What do you all use for bedding in your brooder

 

[sawilliams]

I just use pine shaving or straw. Everyone has a different preference, I use what I had on hand.

 

[sawilliams]

You just dont want the bottom to be slick or slippery in any way. And paper towels is fine for that

 

[Robertrayklein2]

Yeah, i watched a couple of YouTube vids recommending paper towel and my wife bought a massive box of the stuff at Sam's club. Just dont understand all the splayed legs