Hi there from a new member all the way down here in New Zealand

[nessie271]

Looking forward to picking some brains on why my chickens do what they do and what caused our eagerly awaited babies to not survive

very sad.

 

[ChickenLeg]

I'm sorry to hear that!

you might want to get an incubator, hatch them, and raise them separately until they are big enough to live with the other chickens without getting picked on! Glad you joined BYC! you'll find lots of help and meet new friends here!

From Jackson, Tennessee (USA)

 

[nessie271]

Thanks. I used to have bantams when I was a kid in the suburbs. Now I have a place of my own out in the country with my fiance and thought it would be great to have our own free range chooks.
I'm disappointed that we didn't have any luck with the eggs but now curious as to what may have gone wrong.
Never had any problems with the bantams having chicks.
How big is your flock?

 

[ChickenLeg]

It was 6 strong but i lost a hen 3 days ago, but then again i picked up 13 chicks yesterday!! so I'm sooo excited!! and my incubator comes in next week, followed by 10 hatching eggs the next week! so I currently have 18 chickens, with up to 10 more within the next month! I wish I knew enough to help you. but heres a few questions that might help me take a better guess:

were your chicks already hatched when they died? or did they stop developing in the egg? How big is your flock? how old are your chickens? and how many hens vs. rooster do you have? Are they all together or separated? are any of the roosters aggressive? and what breeds do you have? and what breed of egg/chick did not survive? sorry so many questions but the more I know the better chance i can help

 

[nessie271]

13 extra! I'm not sure I would be allowed that many lol let alone getting 10 more hatching eggs!
Out of 10 eggs, 3 were infertile, 2 I'm thinking are going to need to be thrown out if nothing has happened by the time I get home from work, and the rest 1 fully hatched under the hen already dead, another I brought inside and put under a heat lamp as was worried that it would die as well, within the hour it had also died. And the rest of them only partially hatched and died.
I only have two Orpingtons unsure exactly how old but approx 2-3 years old, they were given to me by my neighbour when we first moved in. I love living in the country, everyone is so friendly and helpful! No roosters, I bought the fertilised eggs online and had them sent to me.
The eggs that I bought were Barnevelders.
Even my neighbour is at a loss as to why they didn't survive.
The coop is a renovated kids playhouse and there is a run but the girls were getting let out every morning and shut in at night. But since they went clucky have stayed in the entire time. So I figure there should be no nasty bugs or diseases from previous hens.
Thanks for your help so far!

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC.

 

[nessie271]

Thanks

 

[dreamer5577]

Hi && Welcome!

 

[Kevin565]

 

[LilMissChz]

Greetings from Maryland, USA!! Welcome to BYC.

New Zealand is on my bucket list of places to visit. NOT Australia.... but NEW ZEALAND. I have been fascinated with your country and your history and you native culture for ages!!