How am I doing?? and whats causing this

[Pine Roost]

There are my 2 week old CX chicks. I ordered 50 and have lost 3, but one appears to have a messed up leg, so it may be 4 soon. I have been feeding them fermented 17% grower feed and an electrolyte additive to their water. I hope to keep them in this brooder for 1.5 -- 2 more weeks. Is it normal for them to not have many feathers or fuzz on their breast and backs? They almost look bald in certain spots right now.


It has really helped to have a hardware cloth bottom on the brooder. Cleaning is minimal as the poop just falls through into a catch tarp I have fixed below.

 

[Pine Roost]

Any thoughts on the lack of feathers??

 

[ve]

Until somebody more experienced chime, Here is my opinion. They look healthy. Broilers do not grow feathers very fast. Even at end they will have naked patches.

 

[pipemum]

Yeah, your chicks are hitting the ugly phase at ~3 weeks. The naked patches are typical of CX.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Yep, mine looked just like that. :/

 

[Pine Roost]

I have several chicks that appear to have leg problems. One of the legs, either right or left, is sticking almost straight out and they are not able to walk on it. I feel sure that they will die, but is there anything I can do to stop this from happening?

 

[Angelicisi]

Is it splayed leg? Usually happens on newspaper and I read you use Wire, wire prevents splayed leg with my CX.
At this age the food aggression goes up too and they will trample the other at feedings causing injury to smaller birds. Just the weight of a sibling could pop a hip out of socket.

I would up their protein to 20%, add vitamin B to their waterer. Separate the smaller, weak ones, they may bounce back, may not.

Lack of feathers are normal in certain areas because they grow faster than they feather in. Do you still have heat on them?

 

[Pine Roost]

Do you think that the 17% grower that I have them eating is enough to make then grow like they need to? I do have 2 heat bulbs on them, mainly because it has been getting below freezing in the nights. Should I take them off heat even with the low temps?

 

[ChickenJerk]

Do you think that the 17% grower that I have them eating is enough to make then grow like they need to?

I do have 2 heat bulbs on them, mainly because it has been getting below freezing in the nights. Should I take them off heat even with the low temps?

THEY NEED AS MUCH HEAT AS IS NECESSARY TO KEEP THEM COMFORTABLE.

 

[Angelicisi]

Keep the heat. They need a certain body temp to digest and function properly. Yours pictured look great.

Im in the south, I wean heat early to promote feathering out but we Rarely, very rarely! -with this year as an exception get freezing temperatures.
My meaties have been in the brooder every night that is below 40 except last night was 35 degrees but mine are 5/6 weeks old. We brood indoors with no addition of heat after 2 weeks. No wind or drafts inside and ambient 73 degree room so its an exception not the norm.

17% will grow them but the leg issue (no reason for splayed leg I can see and plenty of room I see in your pics so trampling isn't likly I'd lean towards a nutrition deficiency).
Vitamin B and amino acids and calcium play a Big role in joints and bones. Too much calcium can be bad. Not enough Vitamin B and heads/legs/wings start to malfunction.

Is the 17% a "chick" feed or layer feed? 1st batch I did I used organic 18% - layer tho! Had leg/neck issues. Added vitamins for 10 days switched to 20% "chick" feed due to differences in micro nutrients needed and now have done a few batches with great results
I use 20% all the way thru and towards the end will cut it with organic grains and a few alfalfa pellets before butcher.