eveliens
Songster
- Jun 24, 2020
- 210
- 317
- 161
Been hatching & raising gambels for 4 years now and my latest hatch has been nothing be issues. Incubation & hatch was fine - 36/40 hatched, everyone was healthy and active, no obvious issues. Chicks were nosier/flightier than usual from the beginning but around day 10 it went downhill fast. They are 2 weeks old today.
The birds are simply dropping dead. The first one or two I wrote off as it happens but we're now up to 7 or 8 within the last week, 2 of them were today. They're going from looking perfectly healthy to dead within an hour. The other birds are cannibalizing the skulls - I originally assumed the chicks were deceased prior to cannibalization but I literally just pulled out a warm dead one (eaten) and 2 live ones (holes in their backs) so maybe they're not eating them after dying
I also pulled out another one with bitten toes earlier today. I've not had issues with toe biting or cannibalism with any of my other hatches so I'm at a loss. I know bobwhites are prone to this but these are gambels.
They have access to 28% gamebird starter crumble at all times as well as water and a heat plate. The bedding currently is wood chips over concrete but when they were inside it was paper towels. I sat and watched them for a good half hour earlier today (prior to the one dying) and then again this evening (after finding the dead one). No signs of illness, no signs of aggression, they're all flopped out relaxed, sleeping. They're all growing properly and feathering out appropriately for their age. They're active, lively, alert, not lethargic or draggy. They do have loose stools but that may be heat related. Chicks have no been in contact with the ground OR adult birds - they spent the first 10 days inside on paper towels then the next 4 outside on concrete in a covered porch area.
I have another hatch of gambels from the same parents that hatched a few days ago with the same set up but in a different brooder. They're all fine, no problems and no dead chicks. All the previous batches I hatched this summer have been fine, no issues no dead chicks. The oldest batch is now fully feathered out in the aviary. I even texted the guys I sold some other hatches to and they said they've not had any issues or dead chicks.
Like... are they eating each other? That's the only thing I can come up with. Should I cull the whole batch? Up the protein with eggs or worms? Put a camera on them? Give them vitamins? Do I need to test them for diseases or parasites? Jeez.
The birds are simply dropping dead. The first one or two I wrote off as it happens but we're now up to 7 or 8 within the last week, 2 of them were today. They're going from looking perfectly healthy to dead within an hour. The other birds are cannibalizing the skulls - I originally assumed the chicks were deceased prior to cannibalization but I literally just pulled out a warm dead one (eaten) and 2 live ones (holes in their backs) so maybe they're not eating them after dying
I also pulled out another one with bitten toes earlier today. I've not had issues with toe biting or cannibalism with any of my other hatches so I'm at a loss. I know bobwhites are prone to this but these are gambels.They have access to 28% gamebird starter crumble at all times as well as water and a heat plate. The bedding currently is wood chips over concrete but when they were inside it was paper towels. I sat and watched them for a good half hour earlier today (prior to the one dying) and then again this evening (after finding the dead one). No signs of illness, no signs of aggression, they're all flopped out relaxed, sleeping. They're all growing properly and feathering out appropriately for their age. They're active, lively, alert, not lethargic or draggy. They do have loose stools but that may be heat related. Chicks have no been in contact with the ground OR adult birds - they spent the first 10 days inside on paper towels then the next 4 outside on concrete in a covered porch area.
I have another hatch of gambels from the same parents that hatched a few days ago with the same set up but in a different brooder. They're all fine, no problems and no dead chicks. All the previous batches I hatched this summer have been fine, no issues no dead chicks. The oldest batch is now fully feathered out in the aviary. I even texted the guys I sold some other hatches to and they said they've not had any issues or dead chicks.
Like... are they eating each other? That's the only thing I can come up with. Should I cull the whole batch? Up the protein with eggs or worms? Put a camera on them? Give them vitamins? Do I need to test them for diseases or parasites? Jeez.
