Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: pandora on September 03, 2008, 08:14
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My 2 chicks are 11 days old now. They are both feathering up and growing well. The spraddle legged one has been having it's legs supported with plasters, and was moving around happily. Then yesterday I looked at them and one of it's legs was pointing backwards :( It is having real trouble now moving about at all, and if truth be told I would have put it out of it's misery at birth if I had had more than just the 2 hatch. They are best friends now. I just don't know what to do with it.
I am even more down about it because the healthy chick is looking distinctly cockerel-ish. That would be just my luck - a whole incubator full of eggs and all I get is one cockerel.
BTW, the healthy bird had it's umbilical cord still attached after hatching and it was mentioned that it could be due to lower than optimal humidity. I have since read that Spraddle leg is due to too high a humidity. How did I get one of each, then :?
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Hi Pandora
Really sorry to hear about your chicks problems :(
Chicks with rough Navels could be that the hatching temp was too high, which I think would then also mean that humidity was too low? Which could be why you have these problems :?
A high temp drys up the air so moister level is low basically :?
Really not sure what course of action to take, apart from keeping a close eye on the navel and trying to straighten leg.
Like you say its more difficult as you only have the 2 :(
Sarah :)
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Hope this will explain things better, I get all jumbled :lol:
No blood vessels at candling Eggs
not fertile
Check flock management
Embryo died very early
Check egg holding conditions
Check incubation operation
Many dead embryos
Temperature too high or low
Check incubator and accuracy of thermometer
Improper turning Turn at least 3 times per day
Poor oxygen supply Increase ventilation
Poor nutrition Check breeder flock diet
Piped eggs not hatching
Low humidity Have correct wet bulb temperature
Hatch too early
High temperature Check temperature
Hatch too late
Low temperature Check temperature
Shells stick to chicks
High humidity early
or low humidity late Check humidity
Cripples
Temperature problems Check incubator
Humidity problems Check incubator
Improper turning Correct turning
Smooth hatching trays Provide better traction
Large, soft-bodied weak chicks
Low temperature Check temperature
Poor ventilation Improve air flow
Mushy chicks, dead on tray
Navel infection Improve sanitation
Rough navels
High temperature or wide temperature fluctuations Check temperature
Low moisture Check wet bulb temperature
Hope that explains things a bit better
Sarah :)
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Thanks for that Vember. I have been really saddened by this go at incubating. I am absolutely certain that the fact that my incubator broke and I couldn't get another one for 12 hours, then that took another 10 hrs to get stabilised has led to my problems. The poor eggs couldn't have been messed around any more if I'd tried. On candling at day 16 I had 11 moving chicks, and only 2 made it out. In a way I almost wish I had got none, as I wouldn't have the quandry of what to do with one good chick and one not so good. The umbilical cord chick is now looking mega healthy btw.
Broodies only for me from now on!
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Broodies only for me from now on!
They really are the best, take all the worry out of it ( well most of it :lol: )
Glad the other chick is doing well :)
Sarah :)