The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[Leahs Mom]

I'm thinking that if she's doing the broody "almost fast", that would probably take care of it.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm thinking that if she's doing the broody "almost fast", that would probably take care of it.

You'd think, right? I hope so.

 

[Leahs Mom]

When folks are having a crop issue, I recommend removing all grain feed and "fasting" them with only water and coconut oil (which is usually in solid form or slightly soft) for several days to a week depending on how the crop is looking. (Just an aside, my birds love eating the stuff in general.)

Then adding back in some plain, good quality raw meat -or- raw eggs -or- possibly bugs (like mealworms, etc.). Then another several days to a week if it's going well. Then gradually returning to other feeds.

Problem is that they have to be separated to accomplish that and some folks can't make a separation work. But everyone that I've recommended it to that has tried it, has had success.

The coconut oil is a mild anti-fungal and also has other properties that make it ideal to use. Gives the bird something to eat during the fast stage that is helping with healing at the same time.

 

[aquila]

That is a cute bunch of chicks! Hopefully you get a few more as the stragglers catch up... about how many are you expecting in this hatch?

 

[1muttsfan]

Those big feets planted right in the food source...

 

[speckledhen]

That is a cute bunch of chicks! Hopefully you get a few more as the stragglers catch up... about how many are you expecting in this hatch?

It's over now. Last night was the end when we culled a chick with a beak/skull issue, most likely an incubator problem (temp off). I started with 21 Brahmas and 6 Barred Rocks. All 6 Rocks hatched. When I candled at about 17 days in, had to remove 5 infertile Brahmas, leaving me 16 of those, but several never made it into the air cell and that last one did and kept cheeping, but didn't pip at all, so we opened the shell and saw why it never pipped. There's usually a reason even if the chick is alive in there and this was a prime example. So, we have 11 Brahmas and 6 BRs and two broodies with 14 eggs between them.

Those big feets planted right in the food source...

Yup, that is what you call an avian draft horse. I used to call Caroline and Suede's chicks the draft horse of chicks, just humongous males. But, in this case, this is probably a pullet. The males are usually the smaller ones with these Brahmas.

 

[speckledhen]

Oh, two videos, first one before the end of the hatch and the second from today.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Now I want chicks. They are so zoomie already.

 

[1muttsfan]

 

[speckledhen]

Now I want chicks. They are so zoomie already.

That they are. Except that I noticed one being too lethargic awhile ago. I took it out and it's just too sleepy, seems weak. I think it was maybe the last to hatch later last night. Tried to feed it some baby cereal mush and go it to drink water, gave it polyvisol, but if it's a failure-to-thrive baby, not much else I can do for it. You just never know what will happen. I've never had this happen with broody-hatched chicks, at least not that I remember and this was an odd hatch, even for a bator hatch. So, we'll see.