Poultry Breeds of Spanish Ancestry

[Lacy Blues]

I do not have luck with white empordanesa chicks as they seem to get killed. hatch yellow. others seem to be fine

They get killed? The chicks kill each other?

I didn't mention that I've never had any troubles develop from it and it seems to be only in my large fowl. The bantams are just really aggressive after they've grown up a bit.

I have not had the Partridge Penes, Crele Penes, Wheaten Pen, EO Marraduan Basque or Pita Pintas do that. When they start chirping a bunch, I give them a drop of poly vi Sol.

You are using red light bulbs? I use Brinseas Eco Glow brooder plates so they have a dark place to hide out it they want to. They are also in the dark at night so they get a dark and light cycle. Chicks seem to be better behaved that way.

Another thing the chickens are sensitive to is Compact florescent lights. They slight flicker makes them hyper and antsy. LED and incandescent bulbs do not bother them. Yes, this comes from a University Poultry study.

I have them under incandescent bulbs for 24 hours for the first 3 days or so... just til I'm sure they're all eating and drinking. I use a heating pad set on medium heat for them to get under and that's what they'll get starting tonight. When I've put new hatchlings under a heating pad right away, I've had them get out from under it during the night and not be able to find their way back in the dark and I've gotten up in the morning to very cold chicks.

I'm really loving this cool weather we had yesterday evening and this morning so far! Wow! However, we're expecting to hit 103 next week! Yuk! I'll be ladling yogurt out to the gang. I just want to make sure they can handle the extremes in weather changes and it's so good for them too!

 

[ronott1]

They get killed? The chicks kill each other?

I didn't mention that I've never had any troubles develop from it and it seems to be only in my large fowl. The bantams are just really aggressive after they've grown up a bit.

I have them under incandescent bulbs for 24 hours for the first 3 days or so... just til I'm sure they're all eating and drinking. I use a heating pad set on medium heat for them to get under and that's what they'll get starting tonight. When I've put new hatchlings under a heating pad right away, I've had them get out from under it during the night and not be able to find their way back in the dark and I've gotten up in the morning to very cold chicks.

I'm really loving this cool weather we had yesterday evening and this morning so far! Wow! However, we're expecting to hit 103 next week! Yuk! I'll be ladling yogurt out to the gang. I just want to make sure they can handle the extremes in weather changes and it's so good for them too!

We have the same weather now and for next week. It was a bit cloudy and humid yesterday. Today is cool and then it starts heating up for the weekend.

The change I will make with mine will be to move them from paper towels to pine shavings. The Brooder I have as a dowel in it for roosting and they can entertain themselves with it. Do you think your chicks are getting bored?

It sounds like you have a nice set up for them!

 

[Lacy Blues]

We have the same weather now and for next week. It was a bit cloudy and humid yesterday. Today is cool and then it starts heating up for the weekend.

The change I will make with mine will be to move them from paper towels to pine shavings. The Brooder I have as a dowel in it for roosting and they can entertain themselves with it. Do you think your chicks are getting bored?

It sounds like you have a nice set up for them!

I think I may have misrepresented my breed. I realized a minute ago that I didn't tell the frequency of the occurrence. Usually, only one chick does this and out of all the batches that get hatched, maybe 2 or 3 individual chicks will do this. It just drives me really crazy.

I took the band off that chick just a few minutes ago and told him he'd better behave. I don't know if he'll listen or not. We'll see. I also decided that for the first night, maybe two, I'll have a nightlight on so if they get out from under the pad in the dark, they'll be able to find their way back.

When I see toe biting, I'll sprinkle crumbles in on them (even though there is already a dish of it available) and that generally stops that behavior. I have guessed that the ones that go after eyes might be thirsty because the eye is wet and shiny. But taking them to the water and dipping their little beaks in it doesn't seem to change anything. I'm guessing too that they might be bored but I don't know how to alleviate that for chicks so small. They'll likely get moved to shavings here in a couple of days. I have a large box waiting for them.

 

[ronott1]

I think I may have misrepresented my breed. I realized a minute ago that I didn't tell the frequency of the occurrence. Usually, only one chick does this and out of all the batches that get hatched, maybe 2 or 3 individual chicks will do this. It just drives me really crazy.

I took the band off that chick just a few minutes ago and told him he'd better behave. I don't know if he'll listen or not. We'll see. I also decided that for the first night, maybe two, I'll have a nightlight on so if they get out from under the pad in the dark, they'll be able to find their way back.

When I see toe biting, I'll sprinkle crumbles in on them (even though there is already a dish of it available) and that generally stops that behavior. I have guessed that the ones that go after eyes might be thirsty because the eye is wet and shiny. But taking them to the water and dipping their little beaks in it doesn't seem to change anything. I'm guessing too that they might be bored but I don't know how to alleviate that for chicks so small. They'll likely get moved to shavings here in a couple of days. I have a large box waiting for them.

I have one now that is a Chirpper with this hatch. The little thing quits when I come over to see what is up. I wet my finger and tap the feed--they then peck it off of my finger. The Spanish Breeds seem a bit smarter than some of the others. That may be what the flightiness is. They are a bit more challenging from the beginning but I really would rather have them.

Once the figure out what you are doing they usually get into the program with you.

They are a bit expensive but there is a flock block for chicks. It attaches to the side of the brooder and the chicks can peck at it. It can be placed in with them for a couple of hours each day or when the chirping and toe biting starts. It will last quite a while that way and it gives them something to do. A dowel for a roost works. I drill holes in the side of my plastic tub brooder and push the dowel through.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I have one now that is a Chirpper with this hatch. The little thing quits when I come over to see what is up. I wet my finger and tap the feed--they then peck it off of my finger. The Spanish Breeds seem a bit smarter than some of the others. That may be what the flightiness is. They are a bit more challenging from the beginning but I really would rather have them.

Once the figure out what you are doing they usually get into the program with you.

They are a bit expensive but there is a flock block for chicks. It attaches to the side of the brooder and the chicks can peck at it. It can be placed in with them for a couple of hours each day or when the chirping and toe biting starts. It will last quite a while that way and it gives them something to do. A dowel for a roost works. I drill holes in the side of my plastic tub brooder and push the dowel through.

I think your chirper probably just wants its mommy and when you show up, he's happy! LOL!

I've done the wet finger and feed thing too, that's always fun.

Yes, I prefer my Spanish breeds to all others that I've had too.

I wonder if I could use one of those grain sticks that are for canaries and parakeets and the like. I will try inserting a dowel and see how they like that.

Thanks Ron.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I got their light raised tonight and the heating pad put in and then I went outside to close up. When I came back in, this is what was going on...



They adjusted their positions slightly by the time I got back with the camera but you can see one still has its head hanging over the side, one is all stretched out and they're all just loving that heat!

So, I turned off their light, turned on a nightlight (mostly so I could see) and then I stuffed them all underneath the pad. They're all zonked now!

 

[ronott1]

I got their light raised tonight and the heating pad put in and then I went outside to close up. When I came back in, this is what was going on...



They adjusted their positions slightly by the time I got back with the camera but you can see one still has its head hanging over the side, one is all stretched out and they're all just loving that heat!

So, I turned off their light, turned on a nightlight (mostly so I could see) and then I stuffed them all underneath the pad. They're all zonked now!

Good Job!

A red bulb will most likely stop the picking problems.

Go here:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_62jhh4of2d_e

The 250 watt may be too warm but just lift the bulb higher. There is also a very nice ceramic bulb for a low price that will not put out any light.

 

[ronott1]

I have Partridge Pendesenca eggs hatching!

This one has a pip



Pipped Penesesenca eggs look so nice!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Yay Ron! I hope they all hatch for you!

I had chicks hatching the last two days. Wednesday night, before going off to bed, I think I had a half dozen that were out of their shells. I opened up the hatcher and the strawberry baskets to remove egg shells and then put them all snugly back for the night. In the morning, there were ten more that had hatched so my strawberry baskets were full to bursting! Ha ha ha. Popcorn babies! Last night there was only one left that looked like it wanted to hatch. This morning it was out and dry so I took it to be with the rest of the gang! 17 chicks out of 22 eggs that went to "lock down." Not bad. I haven't been keeping track of how many go into the incubator in the first place but very few have been early quitters or not fertile at all. A good year so far. I should come up with a number of chicks hatched but I know I have already culled some and I have more to go so I don't know what the numbers would be.

I'm getting ready to start my last batch. My senior hen has given me 6 eggs in the last ten days which is really good considering how hot its been.

 

[ronott1]

Yay Ron! I hope they all hatch for you!

I had chicks hatching the last two days. Wednesday night, before going off to bed, I think I had a half dozen that were out of their shells. I opened up the hatcher and the strawberry baskets to remove egg shells and then put them all snugly back for the night. In the morning, there were ten more that had hatched so my strawberry baskets were full to bursting! Ha ha ha. Popcorn babies! Last night there was only one left that looked like it wanted to hatch. This morning it was out and dry so I took it to be with the rest of the gang! 17 chicks out of 22 eggs that went to "lock down." Not bad. I haven't been keeping track of how many go into the incubator in the first place but very few have been early quitters or not fertile at all. A good year so far. I should come up with a number of chicks hatched but I know I have already culled some and I have more to go so I don't know what the numbers would be.

I'm getting ready to start my last batch. My senior hen has given me 6 eggs in the last ten days which is really good considering how hot its been.

It is great when they hatch like that!

It sounds like the temps are set correctly for you now.

I will be working on my last hatch soon too--unless someone local wants me to set some eggs for them. I have an Olive Egg laying project, Partridge Penedesencas and Pita Pintas in breeding pens.

Next year I will be switching my OEs to Arkansas Blues X Partridge Penedesenca. I bet I get some amazing Olive colored eggs from that cross!