Hatching Eggs / Paypal CHAT Thread

[Sahwithchicks]

I never used medicated feed. I just bought a small bag, becuase some hatchery chicks where kind if weak... Everyone seems to be doing better, but I certainly won't continue using it.

Happy birthday crystal! I am relieved that your sons MRI is today, means you should get some answers. I am hoping for the best.

 

[reesepoultry]

Question...
Anyone else having a problem with SFH chicks? All the eggs I get hatch, then the chicks slowly get weak. One by one. If I do not put additives in their water they just are lackluster and weak. I am really begining to dislike this breed.

*I am feeding them Puriena Starter/grower with cracked corn and Flockraiser added in. I have been adding booster to their water one week then redcell, then off for a week, then back again.

Hmmmm....... I am not having a problem with mine except mine were older when I got them. But I hatched some Norwegian Jaerhorn/Cream legbar mix chicks and They were the same. They were very weak and died one right after the other.

I have actually been trying to get a hold of the people who have the SFH Chicks to see about getting more. I really like mine. It took them a little bit to come around to me but now they follow me around the coop.

 

[GableBabble]

I will try some things and figure out what I am doing wrong.

 

[pysankigirl]

This hatch is driving me nuts...it has drawn out to 5 hatching days. they were supposed to all hatch friday, and I have two eggs still in there. I was going to remove them, but I held them up to my ear and could hear the chicks still alive in there! I cant throw away live chicks!

but the ones that hatched last night are not doing well. I think from being in their shells too long. they aren't up and running around yet...splayed a bit. I feel bad because it is not their fault. I am not using the best incubator and with the power outage...sigh. I fear I will have to cull the ones that hatch even if they make it out.

I hate culling. but I know it is necessary. just makes me sad.

But I have 25 healthy chicks...I should just be happy for that

 

[reesepoultry]

I always use medicated feed. It seems to work better than anything here. I also Forment my feed to for the chicks and the adult birds. But I also offer the adult birds regular feed to have all the time. I use Priobiotics & Vitamins & Electrolytes in my chicks water everyday to make sure they stay healthy & strong. It seems to work and I loose less chicks.

Everyone's methods are differant. I am sure everyone has a method that works for them. This is what works for me and keeps my flock healthy and going. I have also been adding vitamins & electrolytes to my adult birds water a couple of times a week. This is just to keep them hydrated better and healthy. They seem to lay better with the vitamins & formented feed. Plus they about knock me down for the formented feed and is definately there choice of food. I now ship the birds with there formented feed to help keep them hydrated & fed for there journey.

You do have to watch the consistancly of the formented feed though when you feed it and need to thicken it up a little with feed before feeding or all of your chickens will be coated in the formented feed. Found this out the hard way. It wasn't a pretty site.

 

[BHep]

In regards to the SFH. I have heard numerous complaints about the chicks weak and dieing also. I would just guess, like everything else ..interbreeding.

Not enough stock, all the birds are somehow related. And shipping issues. Just my take.
I got eggs from contrastphoto and KYTinpusher to add to my flock, just for some different related blood line...just in case there is.

I have just started to hatch mine to fill orders and add to my flock. I hatched 8-9 so far and all are alive and well. Sold 3 already and have not heard otherwise. I have more hatching today. IMO the healthiest will survive.

I think we all see problems with imported birds. Heck, even domestic stock.

 

[GableBabble]

I always use medicated feed. It seems to work better than anything here. I also Forment my feed to for the chicks and the adult birds. But I also offer the adult birds regular feed to have all the time. I use Priobiotics & Vitamins & Electrolytes in my chicks water everyday to make sure they stay healthy & strong. It seems to work and I loose less chicks.

Everyone's methods are differant. I am sure everyone has a method that works for them. This is what works for me and keeps my flock healthy and going. I have also been adding vitamins & electrolytes to my adult birds water a couple of times a week. This is just to keep them hydrated better and healthy. They seem to lay better with the vitamins & formented feed. Plus they about knock me down for the formented feed and is definately there choice of food. I now ship the birds with there formented feed to help keep them hydrated & fed for there journey.

You do have to watch the consistancly of the formented feed though when you feed it and need to thicken it up a little with feed before feeding or all of your chickens will be coated in the formented feed. Found this out the hard way. It wasn't a pretty site.

I have an image of this in my head now.

In regards to the SFH. I have heard numerous complaints about the chicks weak and dieing also. I would just guess, like everything else ..interbreeding.

Not enough stock, all the birds are somehow related. And shipping issues. Just my take.
I got eggs from contrastphoto and KYTinpusher to add to my flock, just for some different related blood line...just in case there is.

I have just started to hatch mine to fill orders and add to my flock. I hatched 8-9 so far and all are alive and well. Sold 3 already and have not heard otherwise. I have more hatching today. IMO the healthiest will survive.

I think we all see problems with imported birds. Heck, even domestic stock.

I have some from just about everyone. I was swimming in SFH chicks a week ago. I am wondering if it is the boxes I am using for brooders. I dunno. I have enough chicks left to have a foundation group. The ones I have left came from you and GFF. DH thinks it is the feed, and the cardboard boxes I use as brooders. Which I would agree, but it is only the SFH. Everything else is running wild and crazy happy. BTW- every set of eggs I have gotten from you Beth (with the exception of the ones the cat threw into the floor.

) Have gotten a 95% hatch rate off of. Makes me a HAPPY Hermit! The Serama are just the cutest tiny things. One looks MF. The others have alot of white in them. One is dark brown.

 

[krazykat0373]

fermented feed? is that just soaking it in water? for how long?

 

[reesepoultry]

I have an image of this in my head now.

I have some from just about everyone. I was swimming in SFH chicks a week ago. I am wondering if it is the boxes I am using for brooders. I dunno. I have enough chicks left to have a foundation group. The ones I have left came from you and GFF. DH thinks it is the feed, and the cardboard boxes I use as brooders. Which I would agree, but it is only the SFH. Everything else is running wild and crazy happy. BTW- every set of eggs I have gotten from you Beth (with the exception of the ones the cat threw into the floor.

) Have gotten a 95% hatch rate off of. Makes me a HAPPY Hermit! The Serama are just the cutest tiny things. One looks MF. The others have alot of white in them. One is dark brown.

It could be the boxes. I have an actual brooder that I use for day old chicks for the first week I can put everything in there except Turkey Poults. For some reason they die if I put them in there. Don't know why but they do. The turkeys do just fine in a tub brooder but not in my actual brooder. Maybe the box has something to do with them.

 

[reesepoultry]

fermented feed? is that just soaking it in water? for how long?

Its water and ACV. I do mine in the morning and it is ready the next morning. I keep mine in the basement. It is healthier for the birds and helps them to digest and break down the food better and gives them healthy bacteria.