maybe skinny chicks

[diornisextant]

Hi I have 3 serama chicks under two broodies, they are up and running, alert and active and they always have a full crop . I just picked them up and for the first time I felt a keel. I'm not sure if this is a young chick growth phase thing or if they are getting thin .
It has been a bit chilly out but they are almost always under one mom or the other even when foraging.I have been thinking of bringing them in to bond so they are very interactive later but they are fully integrated with the rooster and the other hens. I don't really want to mess with that as they will have to live with them in the end.

I have upped the meal worms and corn in the diet . They are getting developer (grower?)20%. fine ground corn, large scratch I have seen them eat and finch seed ( niger thistle, millet, flax etc.)greens and fruits including banana, plus free range. I see both moms drop them food items.

What do you all think, am I just too broody? or should I bring them in?

 

[sourland]

Relax and let their moms take care of them. You are correct - doing this will result with fewer problems as they mature.

 

[tinychicky]

That's because broodies give their chicks more exercise

. Chicks that sit in thier brooder all day without running around and scratching with mama are fatter than chicks raised with an active hen.

 

[diornisextant]

Ook cool , I figured they would be weaker if they were hurting and they are incredibly active . They are small too ! They are about 2 to 2.5 weeks I bought their mom at 6 weeks and thought she was tiny but she was raised indoors before and after I got her and always felt solid. This'll be good practice for when she hatches the quail eggs I guess. They're going to be TINY!
Thanks for the help.

 

[diornisextant]

Thanks for talking me down .

 

[sumi]

Lovely pics! Your chicks look o.k. As long as they are active and alert and they eat enough they should be fine. Do you deworm your flock? I've been advised to deworm chicks when they are 5 weeks old. More as a precaution.

 

[Buckhunter76]

Gosh starting to like bantys

 

[diornisextant]

Thanks for the comments, I love my camera when I accidentally rest on the right settings.LOL

these are my 1st chicks but I am of the mind that meds are for sick birds.I'm more interested in producing hardy northern Serama with strong resistance.It's hard sometimes because you may lose one but I feel it's better for the flock to build genetic strength than to dose regularly. I would definitely treat a bird that is ill. I got a lot of advice about antibiotics in the water de-worming medicated feed and keeping them indoors and with heat on them . It all just felt like overkill and like I was perpetuating weakness. If I were not reproducing them and was just keeping a few pets I might do things differently and baby them more. The other issue I am not good with is the metabolytes going bact to the soil . I compost so what goes in the birds goes in the soil . Some wormers(like fenbendazole and friends) and antibiotics persist and either kill good organisms or grow bad organisms in the compost bin and then in the soil. "(

 

[madi99]

how old are your chicks?

 

[diornisextant]

about 3 weeks give or take.