The Dorking Breeders thread

[KittieChick]

Are his toes fused together, or can they be separated out into a normal position?  If they can be splayed out properly, do you think he would be able to function, or is there something else wrong with his legs?  If it's just his toes and they can be separated, you can gently splay them out and splint them into a normal position. 

This thread has some pictures that might be helpful:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/72885/boot-for-curled-toes-on-3-month-old-chicken-update-w-pics

Depending on what's wrong with his feet, it might be something that can correct quickly.  Fingers crossed.

Hi Sydney. His toes are better today. Still weak about standing, but I'm cautiously optimistic, as he's able to hold upright for a little bit. He ate a small syringe of egg yolk, somewhat complaining. I had no clue that such an itty bitty creature could so occupy my efforts!

I have noticed that the pullets are easily differentiated from the cockerels. I have 7 more Dorking eggs due in another week. They're also pullet eggs, so I sincerely hope there are no more problems like this little fella is experiencing.

This is the cockerel.

This is the pullet.

 

[kittydoc]

@KittieChick Sounds good. You might well want to keep this one with the littler ones less likely to knock it over. If the toes are not perfect, you can make little "chick sandals" out of cardboard to straighten them out. Hobbles to keep the legs in the correct position might not be a bad idea for 2-3 or more days, either. It usually takes a few days up to a week for them to become fully normal if they are going to do so. My chick that I culled had such twisted legs and was so heavy (really big chick) that it was not improving and couldn't even lift its head.

We are supplementing the breeder's water with water-soluble vitamins, including all the usual suspects and then some, for the rest of the hatching season, at least. Unlike cat and dog food, I don't think animal feed recalls are generally made public. I have seen a few horse supplement disasters make the news, but nothing about cattle, swine, or chicken feed. My suspicion is that we got a bad bag of feed.

The fat soluble vitamins are the first to go (A, D, E, and K) in dry feed of any type for any animal. The water-soluble ones (all the B vitamins and C) last a lot longer.

 

[KittieChick]

@KittieChick Sounds good. You might well want to keep this one with the littler ones less likely to knock it over. If the toes are not perfect, you can make little "chick sandals" out of cardboard to straighten them out. Hobbles to keep the legs in the correct position might not be a bad idea for 2-3 or more days, either. It usually takes a few days up to a week for them to become fully normal if they are going to do so. My chick that I culled had such twisted legs and was so heavy (really big chick) that it was not improving and couldn't even lift its head.

We are supplementing the breeder's water with water-soluble vitamins, including all the usual suspects and then some, for the rest of the hatching season, at least. Unlike cat and dog food, I don't think animal feed recalls are generally made public. I have seen a few horse supplement disasters make the news, but nothing about cattle, swine, or chicken feed. My suspicion is that we got a bad bag of feed.

The fat soluble vitamins are the first to go (A, D, E, and K) in dry feed of any type for any animal. The water-soluble ones (all the B vitamins and C) last a lot longer.

I have a feeling this little guy will be put down in a bit. He's come to the end of his yolk energy, and isn't faring well.

 

[jessicaagross]

Hmmm...they do not present as being in top health. That male looks like he's carrying a parasite load, and if he is, you can probably be sure the female is, too..

You think they have worms? I just got them not to long ago, so I guess that is possible?

 

[Sydney Acres]

Quote:
Realistically, any bird that is brought from one farm to another should be assumed to be carrying parasites until proven otherwise, both internal and external. If you are not able to microscopically examine droppings for worm eggs, then deworm them with a broad-spectrum dewormer. Most dewormers should be repeated in 10-14 days. External parasites are easier to see, but may require some magnification, good lighting, and a good look at the skin around the vent and tail while the bird is being held still. Birds that are transferred from one farm to the other should be kept in an isolation pen for 3-4 weeks instead of put together with the resident flock. The stress of shipping and/or rehoming is often enough to bring out any illnesses that they could keep under control at their first home, and you don't want to bring anything contagious into your flock, whether it be parasites or viruses or something else. Buying from a seller that is NPIP certified guards against certain diseases, but not all. Many private breeders are not NPIP certified -- that does not mean that they have disease in their flock, it just means that they don't do enough shipping of stock to make certification worthwhile for them. Either way, isolating newcomers protects your resident flock.

I agree with YHF, these birds look a little rough. Maybe the male is just cold and sleepy as you suggest, but none of the other birds in the same picture are hunched up like him. A bird that stays cold and sleepy longer than the rest of the flock may not be as healthy as the others. If he was recently put in with the flock and is still establishing where he is on the pecking order, he may be trying to make himself look smaller to avoid another fight. Maybe there's still some shipping/rehoming stress involved. Or there may be a million other reasons why he looks that way at that single moment. A single moment in time often does not represent the situation well, but that is all we have to go on. Does he seem vigorous and ooze vitality in general, or is he a little quiet much of the time? A healthy young male should be annoyingly active and the picture of health. Anything less is not normal.

 

[RhodeRunner]

Hmmm...they do not present as being in top health.  That male looks like he's carrying a parasite load, and if he is, you can probably be sure the female is, too..

I agree, they don't appear to be in full health and look underweight. Even in the miserable single and negative digit days, my boys got frostbite but they wheren't hunched over.

 

[jessicaagross]

We'll I will worm the whole flock just to be safe, I don't want them to be sick. It was in the negatives that day, and even colder in the wind chill, but now that you guys have said that, he does seem pretty droopy. I didn't think anything of it because he was normally running around looking full of life. I had quarantined them for 2-3 weeks, they seemed healthy so I put them in with my guys. None of mine were/are acting sick or droopy at all. But I didn't worm them right before or after getting the new guys, I feel dumb because didn't even think to do it.

Unfortunately I lost the cockerel and one of the nicer girls to a predator the other day. it's been crazy this year. The guy I got my ameraucanas from lost half his stock this winter. He said so far he's live trapped 7 huge coons, 2 skunks, 4 cats and a weasel. That was all in 3 weeks. Of course, right before I could start incubating, and it had to be the non hatchery birds. I'm thinking mine was a coon or something strong enough to push out chain link in their yard. From a dog panel, no less!

But anyway, just had to rant for a second, I can't say I noticed him acting as lethargic as the picture shows, but then again, I didn't notice it until you guys brought it up.

Thanks for hour help.

 

[RhodeRunner]

We'll I will worm the whole flock just to be safe, I don't want them to be sick. It was in the negatives that day, and even colder in the wind chill, but now that you guys have said that, he does seem pretty droopy. I didn't think anything of it because he was normally running around looking full of life. I had quarantined them for 2-3 weeks, they seemed healthy so I put them in with my guys. None of mine were/are acting sick or droopy at all. But I didn't worm them right before or after getting the new guys, I feel dumb because didn't even think to do it.

Unfortunately I lost the cockerel and one of the nicer girls to a predator the other day. it's been crazy this year. The guy I got my ameraucanas from lost half his stock this winter. He said so far he's live trapped 7 huge coons, 2 skunks, 4 cats and a weasel. That was all in 3 weeks. Of course, right before I could start incubating, and it had to be the non hatchery birds. I'm thinking mine was a coon or something strong enough to push out chain link in their yard. From a dog panel, no less!

But anyway, just had to rant for a second, I can't say I noticed him acting as lethargic as the picture shows, but then again, I didn't notice it until you guys brought it up.

Thanks for hour help.

Sorry to hear about the predator problems! I use chain link dog fencing too, but also have chicken coops that I lock up each night within their fencing, and a dog outside. It has helped cut down predator's a lot, nothing killed in close to three years. I used to have weasel problems, those stinkers would squeeze right through the ventilation holds in my roofing, and chain link fences are no match for them. Hope you catch your predators soon!

 

[jessicaagross]

Thank you for the sympathy!

I don't have a door on my chicken barn. It's a really old chicken barn, it came with our house which is almost a hundred years old, and doesn't have a door on it. I may just have to add a door this year when I'm redoing my pen. I'm planning on adding that electric poultry net around the outside, hopefully that will help, and making it bigger too.

I do have a dog, he must have been on a coffee break during the attack.

LOL he's pretty good all around, I've cut down to only 2 predator attacks this year now that he's outside. He runs around the coop and yard a couple times a night. It seems to happen now that he's around, only when it's super windy and he can't hear or smell something is going on.

Anyway, I'll pick up some wormer this weekend. I'm just happy I have 2 of my Dorking ladies left. They are beautiful and so funny to watch since they are so round and low to the ground. They are very docile too. I let everyone out this weekend to go scratch around the pastures, and one of the dorking girls followed me to the garden area as I was clearing out for spring, She got an old string from last years' pole beans wrapped around her foot, and just let me pick her up to remove it. Then went right back to scratching after I set her down. I'm going to have to get more next year, I really like these guys.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Thank you for the sympathy!

I don't have a door on my chicken barn. It's a really old chicken barn, it came with our house which is almost a hundred years old, and doesn't have a door on it. I may just have to add a door this year when I'm redoing my pen. I'm planning on adding that electric poultry net around the outside, hopefully that will help, and making it bigger too.

I do have a dog, he must have been on a coffee break during the attack.

LOL he's pretty good all around, I've cut down to only 2 predator attacks this year now that he's outside. He runs around the coop and yard a couple times a night. It seems to happen now that he's around, only when it's super windy and he can't hear or smell something is going on.

Anyway, I'll pick up some wormer this weekend. I'm just happy I have 2 of my Dorking ladies left. They are beautiful and so funny to watch since they are so round and low to the ground. They are very docile too. I let everyone out this weekend to go scratch around the pastures, and one of the dorking girls followed me to the garden area as I was clearing out for spring, She got an old string from last years' pole beans wrapped around her foot, and just let me pick her up to remove it. Then went right back to scratching after I set her down. I'm going to have to get more next year, I really like these guys.

My sympathies for your losses. It is always heartbreaking to lose birds to a predator. In my experience, electronetting is great for daytime protection, but is inadequate for full night protection. The night time predators are just too persistent, and eventually figure out w weakness in the system. You really need to get a fully secure pen before getting more birds, or you may lose even more. Predators have excellent memories!