Need help, Serama chicks died

[akcourtney]

Over the last couple months I've been hatching, with great success, silkies and yard birds (mix). But for some reason, I'm assuming it's the moisture/heat ratio, when I put a group of my Serama eggs in the incubator they don't hatch. Getting frustrated, I let my large flock brooders sit on my Serama eggs and I was successful in hatching 8 out of 10! Once they'd hatch I'd move them from the brooding hen into my brooder. (I do this with my Silkies too and it works great) (average brooder 80-90 degrees.) After several days (3-5) my little Seramas die off. I check my chicks twice a day refreshing water, food of course and checking their bums for any issues - I just don't understand why I'm having such a problem with the Serama's but all my other breeds do great.

Can anyone help?

Thank you,

Angela

 

[TinyTotsSeramas]

Serama eggs are hard to hatch to begin with but maybe let your broodies hatch them and move them to the brooder. I've been using a simple cat box bottom for the first few days (since the so small) I have the light hanging from my camera tripod on one half of the box and the other is away from the heat (good for more then just taking pictures) then I move them to a larger tote from the dollar store.. I've read on the scna website where the pickier you are, the worse you make it..

 

[The Critter Place]

Are they warm enough? 80-90 sounds low for the first few days of brooding.

Also,
I haven't had a chance to do a lot of research, but I've read Seramas have a lethal gene and are known for dieing after several days for no apparent reason.

I hope someone will correct me if i'm wrong.

 

[akcourtney]

Thank you TinyTots for your reply.

I have three Serama's brooding right now - and this time I'm going to take your advice and move the hatchlings with the brooders. The good news is my nesting box for my Serama's are in the brooding coop. (I have four brooding boxes that has no access to the outdoors and one that does.) All I would have to do is just close the door to the box (not allowing them to get outside) and see what happens. I'll adjust my heat -normally I do what you do and just heat up 1/2 the area of space so they can move if it gets too warm. Thank you for the advice... I love all my birds and it's really disappointing-especially if there is something I can do to keep them alive and I'm not doing it.

Angela

 

[akcourtney]

Thank you Critter- I'll look into that. I think too they need more heat, I will have to monitor it very closely this time. Thank you

 

[itsiebitsiefarm]

I myself, have the same problem, with Seramas. I spent a LOT of money, a few months ago, buying some very good quality Serama hatching eggs. I was able to hatch most of the eggs, with no issue. But then, as a few days passed...I would start loosing them, one after another. They were in brooders, with chicks from many other breeds, and ONLY the Seramas were passing away. I even moved them, to a Serama ONLY brooder, and still lost a few more. Out of all the eggs I hatched then.....I only have 3 Seramas, that made it.
I have never had such a hard, time with any other breed.

I'm hard headed though...and have 6 more Serama eggs, in my bator, to give it yet another try.

 

[akcourtney]

Good luck itsiebitsiefarm! I'd love to know how you/they do.. please keep me posted.

I think this will be the last time (this year) I allow the girls to brood - at least until I find the answer to what's going on. Hopefully I'll be successful this time - it breaks my heart.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Seramas are tricky at best. I have difficulty hatching the eggs some times then other times they hatch perfectly. As for brooding, make sure you grind or mash their feed. I usually brood mine with quail chicks since they seem to do better with the same brooder conditions (temps 100 first week, ground feed).

They also seem to do better if you leave them with the hens as long as mama's not so big that she'll moosh them!

 

[akcourtney]

Thanks Shelley - I'll grind their feed and up the temps. Thanks for your advice!

 

[The Critter Place]

Here's a brief bit of info on what I mentioned. I haven't had time to do more searching..

The Serama carry a ‘diluted’ lethal gene (Japanese Bantam Ancestry), which means 1 to 2 percent of embryos will develop fully but fail to hatch or the chick will die within 24 hours of hatching.

And a link to the article I found the info...

http://www.littleamericaminis.com/seramas/characteristics_of_seramas.htm