Serama Hatch-A-Long!!

[Skink]

Thanks for the well wishes but the 2 quit just before pip.

I know have 2 at 14 days. I pulled the other today, It had a blood ring. I just set 12 more. I can't wait to have some luck like you. Thats funny, a nest stealing, egg hoarding maniac. lol. I had a RSL that stole eggs from my EE , just the blue ones. She stayed broody.


She does seem to be getting a messy bottom and quills growing in. That could be it or your right she took her time letting him breed. She wasn't to thrilled with him but I assumed it was her never breeding before. I have 1 roo with a hen who has been fertile since day 3 and the one pullet.I'm hoping its just stress of moving and establishing pecking order.She really wanted to dominate and has now moved to the bottom of the pecking order. He is definitely partial to the hen.We had him spend a few days with one and then the other to see if alone time might help. I just set her eggs from this week.I guess will see. I really hope I'm worried for nothing. No doubt before giving up on her I will try insemination. Thanks so much for the help and info.

I'm sorry to hear about your late deaths

That is the worst! You feel like you've got 'em in the bag but it just never happens. I hope everything is going better!

If her bottom is getting messy, you might be right about needing to do a trim. It will keep her eggs cleaner too. If her feathers aren't much fluffier than a similar sized hen it might be worth taking a closer peek at what she's putting out, she might have the runs, which can mean all sorts of things (usually easily correctable.)

RE: incubator question @Tajann , I bit the bullet after a bad hatch in a home made styrofoam incubator and got a brinsea mini advance. I like that the turner is very gentle and more comparable to how a hen naturally turns her eggs, and you can set the angle. All the control, none of the touching eggs. If these are eggs you are getting from your own birds, your hatch rates shouldn't be abysmal though. Pullets often have poorer fertility, and these are also small birds who can spend what excess stores they have in a hurry when they lay frequently. If you're having late embryo deaths and you're finding chicks fallen over dead for who knows what reason, I'd look at vitamin deficiencies as a possible cause. Maybe offer some water soluble vitamins. Either way, you will have better success rates if you isolate a hen and her brood from the rest of the flock. Just consider if that's worth having to re-integrate her for you or not. RE: brooding questions, I keep it simple with paper towel substrate, quail waterer, and a dome lamp on a dimmer. leave the heat on a lot longer. I don't turn it off until they are 2 months, even then only when the weather is nice until I start seeing more sex characteristics, and only reduce the heat when I see them staying away from it. I am probably over cautious, though, so would just recommend following the signs like any other chicken.The brinsea ecoglow should solve those issues for you, though. You won't see them under it once they don't need it anymore! I really want to get one of those, but I've had so many chicken expenses I just haven't been able to justify that one yet.

I sadly don't have relevant experience to answer any of the other questions.

 

[azer]

My little Serama baby

 

[DRGLENNON]

I'm sorry to hear about your late deaths

That is the worst! You feel like you've got 'em in the bag but it just never happens. I hope everything is going better!

If her bottom is getting messy, you might be right about needing to do a trim. It will keep her eggs cleaner too. If her feathers aren't much fluffier than a similar sized hen it might be worth taking a closer peek at what she's putting out, she might have the runs, which can mean all sorts of things (usually easily correctable.)

Thanks, I'm sorry to hear about your vitamin issues. I wish I had your experience to be able to pick up on those things.

My pullet does seem to have the runs. I have left mine on the same feed the breeder fed them(Feather fixer 18%), calcium and grit. I now add a small amount of vinegar to water. Treats of egg yoke, greens and maybe too many meal worms(not all in the same day we alternate). They have the same diet but she does eat a lot in comparison to the others. She lays about 5 time a week. Stool is dark and runny if that helps. DH is home today and we are going to work on grooming to clean her up and they need nails trimmed. I really don't think it's worms of any kind. Their new duplex hutch was treated for mites before they went in it. She really doesn't act sick. What do you think I should change? I really appreciate all the advice you have given.

Quote: That is the cutest chick. Congrats!

 

[Skink]

Thanks, I'm sorry to hear about your vitamin issues. I wish I had your experience to be able to pick up on those things.

My pullet does seem to have the runs. I have left mine on the same feed the breeder fed them(Feather fixer 18%), calcium and grit. I now add a small amount of vinegar to water. Treats of egg yoke, greens and maybe too many meal worms(not all in the same day we alternate). They have the same diet but she does eat a lot in comparison to the others. She lays about 5 time a week. Stool is dark and runny if that helps. DH is home today and we are going to work on grooming to clean her up and they need nails trimmed. I really don't think it's worms of any kind. Their new duplex hutch was treated for mites before they went in it. She really doesn't act sick. What do you think I should change? I really appreciate all the advice you have given.

That is the cutest chick. Congrats!

I wish I could say I picked it up with experience, but it was more I found my bird with paralyzed legs and when I picked her up I realized she was skin and bones. I've only had any chickens for a year now, and only got my second one in october. I sadly missed it for a long time since she is a quieter hen who loves to be pet and talked to, but not picked up

I feel terribly guilty about it. I see her every day and she is right by my work station, and I still didn't notice until it was this bad. Everyone's going to have to put up with weekly weighing from now on!

It doesn't sound like you're doing anything wrong with the feed. I would consider putting her on probiotics, either water soluble, giving fermented feed, or both. If all is right in her world and she still has the runs, it could be a gut flora issue, or she might even be sensitive to some grain in the feed (especially if she's having to eat more just to accomplish what the other hens are) but trying probiotics before switching up any feed is cheaper to start with. I am assuming it is all her poops and not just some? The description sounds like a normal cecal to me, but I've also never had a chicken with chronic diarrhea.

 

[DRGLENNON]

I wish I could say I picked it up with experience, but it was more I found my bird with paralyzed legs and when I picked her up I realized she was skin and bones. I've only had any chickens for a year now, and only got my second one in october. I sadly missed it for a long time since she is a quieter hen who loves to be pet and talked to, but not picked up

I feel terribly guilty about it. I see her every day and she is right by my work station, and I still didn't notice until it was this bad. Everyone's going to have to put up with weekly weighing from now on!

It doesn't sound like you're doing anything wrong with the feed. I would consider putting her on probiotics, either water soluble, giving fermented feed, or both. If all is right in her world and she still has the runs, it could be a gut flora issue, or she might even be sensitive to some grain in the feed (especially if she's having to eat more just to accomplish what the other hens are) but trying probiotics before switching up any feed is cheaper to start with. I am assuming it is all her poops and not just some? The description sounds like a normal cecal to me, but I've also never had a chicken with chronic diarrhea.

I'm so sorry for your bird.

Don't beat yourself up about it though all we can do is our best and sometimes thats just not enough.It would be nice if they could tell us when something was wrong. I think weight checks are a good idea and I did weigh mine when I got them home. With seramas being so small in the first place I'm sure it would be easy to miss weight loss until it becomes a real problem. I lost a polish from coccidiosis that was flying back and forth between me and my husband like a carrier pigeon one evening, so playful. The next morning I notice bloody poo and no energy and of course it was after quarantine I treated right away but he was gone before that evening. I treated the others and they were fine.

My pullet seems better since I added the vinegar to their drinking water. The dark loose stools was for a few days and does look better this evening. It can't hurt to give the probiotics so I'll pick some up. I really think it could very well be to much junk food and stress from moving and then being moved again to the new coop . She would rather be cuddled up with us inside. She seems to like people better than chickens.I don't think she eats so much from hunger, my husband calls her fatty. I think she is just a glutten. lol I really think it could be the meal worms. I've never heard that from anyone but she loves them so much so we may be going overboard .. The breeder I got her from told me a bath calms her and suggested it .She does love a bath and wet she looks so much smaller It's hard to tell whats under all those feathers.

 

[Skink]

I'm so sorry for your bird.

Don't beat yourself up about it though all we can do is our best and sometimes thats just not enough.It would be nice if they could tell us when something was wrong. I think weight checks are a good idea and I did weigh mine when I got them home. With seramas being so small in the first place I'm sure it would be easy to miss weight loss until it becomes a real problem. I lost a polish from coccidiosis that was flying back and forth between me and my husband like a carrier pigeon one evening, so playful. The next morning I notice bloody poo and no energy and of course it was after quarantine I treated right away but he was gone before that evening. I treated the others and they were fine.

My pullet seems better since I added the vinegar to their drinking water. The dark loose stools was for a few days and does look better this evening. It can't hurt to give the probiotics so I'll pick some up. I really think it could very well be to much junk food and stress from moving and then being moved again to the new coop . She would rather be cuddled up with us inside. She seems to like people better than chickens.I don't think she eats so much from hunger, my husband calls her fatty. I think she is just a glutten. lol I really think it could be the meal worms. I've never heard that from anyone but she loves them so much so we may be going overboard .. The breeder I got her from told me a bath calms her and suggested it .She does love a bath and wet she looks so much smaller It's hard to tell whats under all those feathers.

I'm really sorry to hear about your polish. I just got my first polish chick on Tuesday, she's an inquisitive, cute little thing! I haven't had a run in with parasites yet and am not looking forward to it, though I think it will be less stressful than treating them in reptiles, which is what I'm used to. Birds are too good at hiding their illnesses.I want to worm regularly because of that. But over using medicine can also cause issues and can tax an animal's system for no reason.. which is why I want to only worm when I see symptoms. A problem I'm still finding a compromise for!

I'm glad the ACV is helping! Giving ACV can heighten the acidity in the upper intestine, which improves intestinal health by making it harder for bad bugs to live there. Fermented feeds are partially excellent for this same reason (though they are also more effective, but still, same cure different pills.) I had no idea you moved her recently! Stress can wear on the immune system, maybe she's struggling with a bit of a bloom of salmonella or some such. I have yet to have a chicken who likes baths! They all think I'm trying to murder them, and when I pull them out I'm suddenly the hero who saved them from drowning and they forgive me... until I pull out the hair dryer. It is hard to dry a chicken with a machine they are actively trying to attack. I raise too many feisty drama queens!

My sick gal is doing MUCH better!!! She is not able to walk very well, but she stands almost as much as she sits and can walk around. She flew today! Perched on her hospital bin, got her balance, then flew to my bed where I was napping. She was cold, there's no meat on her bones and my fiance turned on the AC when he got home so I hadn't put a blanket over her. She wanted under the covers. Got her under there and she purred up a storm! I'm really happy to see her recovering so well. She's been putting on half an ounce steadily each day, which seems pretty good for a serama. My fingers are crossed hoping for her to pull through.. and speaking of crossed, my little cross beak chick had a surprise for me today: little red waddles. DON'T TELL ME IT'S A BOY! 3 hens and 9 ROOSTERS! I cannot believe my poor luck!

 

[DRGLENNON]

I'm really sorry to hear about your polish. I just got my first polish chick on Tuesday, she's an inquisitive, cute little thing! I haven't had a run in with parasites yet and am not looking forward to it, though I think it will be less stressful than treating them in reptiles, which is what I'm used to. Birds are too good at hiding their illnesses.I want to worm regularly because of that. But over using medicine can also cause issues and can tax an animal's system for no reason.. which is why I want to only worm when I see symptoms. A problem I'm still finding a compromise for!

I'm glad the ACV is helping! Giving ACV can heighten the acidity in the upper intestine, which improves intestinal health by making it harder for bad bugs to live there. Fermented feeds are partially excellent for this same reason (though they are also more effective, but still, same cure different pills.) I had no idea you moved her recently! Stress can wear on the immune system, maybe she's struggling with a bit of a bloom of salmonella or some such. I have yet to have a chicken who likes baths! They all think I'm trying to murder them, and when I pull them out I'm suddenly the hero who saved them from drowning and they forgive me... until I pull out the hair dryer. It is hard to dry a chicken with a machine they are actively trying to attack. I raise too many feisty drama queens!

My sick gal is doing MUCH better!!! She is not able to walk very well, but she stands almost as much as she sits and can walk around. She flew today! Perched on her hospital bin, got her balance, then flew to my bed where I was napping. She was cold, there's no meat on her bones and my fiance turned on the AC when he got home so I hadn't put a blanket over her. She wanted under the covers. Got her under there and she purred up a storm! I'm really happy to see her recovering so well. She's been putting on half an ounce steadily each day, which seems pretty good for a serama. My fingers are crossed hoping for her to pull through.. and speaking of crossed, my little cross beak chick had a surprise for me today: little red waddles. DON'T TELL ME IT'S A BOY! 3 hens and 9 ROOSTERS! I cannot believe my poor luck!

I'm glad your girl(fingers crossed) is feeling better.It sounds like she is well on her way to recovery.

They are little drama queens! I would never have guessed a bird would like a bath as much as my younger pullet she enjoys the dryer too.She just wants all the time and attention, forget those other birds. The other two, not so much. lol. I have been trying to come up with a name for her other than my husband calling her fatty. I think Diva suits her, I may go with that.

I'm fighting the urge to touch the incubator. I have 2 in lockdown that have both pipped. I really hope I hatch my first Serama babies today. I've read that they need assistance more often than other breeds so I'm scared to help and scared not to. One pipped at 4pm yesterday (started to zip sometime in the night)and one pipped at 5am. Day 21 starts at 8:30 so they seem to be on schedule. I would really hate to loose them at this point.

I know I should be hoping for pullets but I'll be happy with either. I increased the humidity this time and it has went a lot better. Weight loss and air cells look great. Now I just need patience and a little luck.

I'm not familiar with fermented feed but I will be reading up on it. Thank you for being so supportive and helpful!

 

[DRGLENNON]

I did it!!! I have 2 new pumpkin cocopops drying in the hatcher.

 

[DRGLENNON]

I lost one of my babies overnight. I have no idea why. I was concerned about 1 having pastybutt but it was the one that seemed fine that died. Now I have a single chick crying for its hatch mate. This can be a heartbreaking hobby.

 

[azer]

My new babies