I have not raised a lot of chicks. I've always gotten started pullets. To date I have raised 10 chicks to adulthood so I am quite the novice and have only raised LF SF, one silkie roo and one polish hen until recently recently. 5 of those were from a breeder and 5 were hatchery hens.
I incubated two sets of LF SF eggs that hatched four days apart on the 10th and 14th of this month. The end of April, I picked up an assortment of 9 birds from a nice hobby breeder. In that batch I have blue wheaten, blue and black Ameraucanas , 2 gold laced brahmas, and 3 olive eggers (BCM x Ameraucana).
My question is, the assorted batch of chicks grows faster, has been healthier and is way more active than any of the LF SF chicks (that's 21 LF SF chicks at this time). Has anyone noticed this particular breed being less hearty at a young age?
My hatchery chicks actually did much better than my breeder birds AND better than those I have just hatched. To be fair, I had some incubator issues with the first batch. The temps got too high once while I was out and my hygrometer decided to start telling me lies during lockdown so the humidity was really too high. The second batch got turned for an extra half a day because I am stupid but other than that the second batch was 100% hatch and everyone looked good.
Of the 16 that I hatched, I have had two spraddle legged (they responded to splinting), one that was culled because treatment for a slipped tendon was unsuccessful and two that have appeared to just be failure to thrive and have been culled after my attempts to hand feed and water did not yield results. So that's 5 of 16 that have required some type of additional care.
I have too many healthy chicks to think its a brooder issue (SF's in one and the other 9 in another) or a feed or water issue. The SF's have had looser stools from day one, were on medicated starter from day one and after the second weak chick, I put them on corid thinking maybe coccidiosis.
Perhaps my incubator woes account for them being a little behind but since the first SF chicks I got from the breeder last year were so puny (we noticed sneezy sneezing on the way home) I have to wonder if perhaps this breed is prone to chicks who are more delicate OR if the chicks from certain hens are weaker since these hens were ill when I got them. They 1/2 the size the Ameraucanas were at this age and the two chicks who stand out as the strong ones in the bunch are the accidental polish silkie crosses.
Just trying to keep everybody healthy and happy and would like to hear thoughts from you guys.
PS
I use brinsea Eco glow (started after the first set was sick last year.) the hatchlings have not been in contact with the older chicks or my adult flock.
I incubated two sets of LF SF eggs that hatched four days apart on the 10th and 14th of this month. The end of April, I picked up an assortment of 9 birds from a nice hobby breeder. In that batch I have blue wheaten, blue and black Ameraucanas , 2 gold laced brahmas, and 3 olive eggers (BCM x Ameraucana).
My question is, the assorted batch of chicks grows faster, has been healthier and is way more active than any of the LF SF chicks (that's 21 LF SF chicks at this time). Has anyone noticed this particular breed being less hearty at a young age?
My hatchery chicks actually did much better than my breeder birds AND better than those I have just hatched. To be fair, I had some incubator issues with the first batch. The temps got too high once while I was out and my hygrometer decided to start telling me lies during lockdown so the humidity was really too high. The second batch got turned for an extra half a day because I am stupid but other than that the second batch was 100% hatch and everyone looked good.
Of the 16 that I hatched, I have had two spraddle legged (they responded to splinting), one that was culled because treatment for a slipped tendon was unsuccessful and two that have appeared to just be failure to thrive and have been culled after my attempts to hand feed and water did not yield results. So that's 5 of 16 that have required some type of additional care.
I have too many healthy chicks to think its a brooder issue (SF's in one and the other 9 in another) or a feed or water issue. The SF's have had looser stools from day one, were on medicated starter from day one and after the second weak chick, I put them on corid thinking maybe coccidiosis.
Perhaps my incubator woes account for them being a little behind but since the first SF chicks I got from the breeder last year were so puny (we noticed sneezy sneezing on the way home) I have to wonder if perhaps this breed is prone to chicks who are more delicate OR if the chicks from certain hens are weaker since these hens were ill when I got them. They 1/2 the size the Ameraucanas were at this age and the two chicks who stand out as the strong ones in the bunch are the accidental polish silkie crosses.
Just trying to keep everybody healthy and happy and would like to hear thoughts from you guys.
PS
I use brinsea Eco glow (started after the first set was sick last year.) the hatchlings have not been in contact with the older chicks or my adult flock.
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