- May 23, 2014
- 13
- 4
- 77
hello, I've been a lurker here for a bit (reading but wasn't a member). I've run into a problem, so I finally joined.
I successfully hatched some mixed coturnix eggs (Pharaoh and Jumbo Brown, Texas A&M, Tuxedo, and some Golden I think). I incubated 43 eggs and got 37 that hatched (86%, the remaining were mostly unfertilized except for two that appeared to have started developing but didn't make it and one that started to peck out but died in the process). I am feeding them Dumor Chick Starter (24% protein) because I wasn't able to get the 30% Gamebird Starter (its on special order and should get here soon).
I kept them inside for the first week, in a storage tub with rubbery drawer liner (like this) covered in aspen shavings (the drawer liner helped them not slip and slide). They seemed to do extremely well. They looked health, active, and happy. I'm pretty sure the temperature was good (they spread out pretty evenly, didn't huddle together, and didn't avoid the heat lamp). After the first week inside in the tub, I moved them out to a brooder I built. The brooder has a wire floor (1/2"), but since they are still small I covered it with drawer liner and then aspen shavings (essentially they are on what they were on in the tub). They still seem very happy with the temperature (spread, not bunched up, etc. - thermometer reads 95-99 degrees). They are on the same feed (Dumor Chick Starter 24% protein), and always have water (in a quail waterer like this, changed multiple times a day).
They seemed good in the brooder, but suddenly after 3-4 days in the brooder, I have had chicks die. I can't figure out why. They will all look okay (active, moving, eating and drinking, etc) and then when I come back a few hours later, I might find one dead (no obvious cause that I can see). They are all feathering out, and have been hopping and flapping, but I don't think they are hitting the roof (9" high). I have been watching them very carefully, and haven't seen any significant signs of sickness before one dies (no sneezing or respiratory issues, eyes are clean and clear, legs look fine).
After watching them a lot, I finally saw one die. It's common to see one sleeping/resting, but they wake up or get up readily (when bumped or jostled by other chicks or if I open the pen). I noticed one who seemed to immediately go back to sleep/rest after being disturbed. It just looked more tired than normal. Over 15 min or so, it got to the point were it just wouldn't get up any more. I tried giving it some water, which it drank, but it died very shortly after. It went downhill surprisingly fast over a 15 min timeframe. It was noticeably smaller and scrawnier that the others, and it does seem like it's mostly (but not always) the smaller birds that are dying. The ones that have died were a mix of color/breeds (some Texas A&M, some Pharaoh, and some Golden).
Any ideas on what might be causing the problem? I started with 37 chicks who all made it to 1 1/2 weeks, and have now lost 9 of them in the last 1/2 week.
In case it is helpful, I can add a post detailing my incubator and brooder setup.
I successfully hatched some mixed coturnix eggs (Pharaoh and Jumbo Brown, Texas A&M, Tuxedo, and some Golden I think). I incubated 43 eggs and got 37 that hatched (86%, the remaining were mostly unfertilized except for two that appeared to have started developing but didn't make it and one that started to peck out but died in the process). I am feeding them Dumor Chick Starter (24% protein) because I wasn't able to get the 30% Gamebird Starter (its on special order and should get here soon).
I kept them inside for the first week, in a storage tub with rubbery drawer liner (like this) covered in aspen shavings (the drawer liner helped them not slip and slide). They seemed to do extremely well. They looked health, active, and happy. I'm pretty sure the temperature was good (they spread out pretty evenly, didn't huddle together, and didn't avoid the heat lamp). After the first week inside in the tub, I moved them out to a brooder I built. The brooder has a wire floor (1/2"), but since they are still small I covered it with drawer liner and then aspen shavings (essentially they are on what they were on in the tub). They still seem very happy with the temperature (spread, not bunched up, etc. - thermometer reads 95-99 degrees). They are on the same feed (Dumor Chick Starter 24% protein), and always have water (in a quail waterer like this, changed multiple times a day).
They seemed good in the brooder, but suddenly after 3-4 days in the brooder, I have had chicks die. I can't figure out why. They will all look okay (active, moving, eating and drinking, etc) and then when I come back a few hours later, I might find one dead (no obvious cause that I can see). They are all feathering out, and have been hopping and flapping, but I don't think they are hitting the roof (9" high). I have been watching them very carefully, and haven't seen any significant signs of sickness before one dies (no sneezing or respiratory issues, eyes are clean and clear, legs look fine).
After watching them a lot, I finally saw one die. It's common to see one sleeping/resting, but they wake up or get up readily (when bumped or jostled by other chicks or if I open the pen). I noticed one who seemed to immediately go back to sleep/rest after being disturbed. It just looked more tired than normal. Over 15 min or so, it got to the point were it just wouldn't get up any more. I tried giving it some water, which it drank, but it died very shortly after. It went downhill surprisingly fast over a 15 min timeframe. It was noticeably smaller and scrawnier that the others, and it does seem like it's mostly (but not always) the smaller birds that are dying. The ones that have died were a mix of color/breeds (some Texas A&M, some Pharaoh, and some Golden).
Any ideas on what might be causing the problem? I started with 37 chicks who all made it to 1 1/2 weeks, and have now lost 9 of them in the last 1/2 week.
In case it is helpful, I can add a post detailing my incubator and brooder setup.
