[rachelr]

I am looking for some advice. I believe i have done everything i could but just would like it reinforced.

about two weeks ago I was given 12  one day old chicks to bring on.  I have them in a home made brooder next to a radiator with a heat lamp. They have been regularly cleaned fed and watered.

However I only have 5 left. 6 were all the same breed and they died very quickly then one of the others ( i do not know the make of the chicks as the gentlemen i got them from just put all his eggs in one incubator and took pot luck?). Is this normal. On top of that i think that I have at least 4 cockrels as they are fighting each other!!!!!!!!

I had to put one down as it had straddle leg and was not particularly well looking.

I have raised ten meat chicks without any problem so i dont think i did anything wrong. But would love to hear what others have to say.

many thanks

[Casey76]

It could be a lot of things, if 6 were of the same breed I would hazard a guess and say it was probably genetic.

However, the other thing which kills chicks very quickly is coccidiosis.  Have you noticed any unusually dark or blooming poos in the brooder?

Have you kept good hygene between the younger chicks and the older ones outside (i.e. hand wash/shoe change etc?)

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Rachel, with lamp and radiator, they are not too hot are they? Just a thought.

Like you said, your meat chicks are doing well, so the problem could be that chap who hatched them.  Lots of things can go on in an incubator if it isn't kept clean.  Lots of bacteria.  If he just stick eggs in without noting what he's got, it doesn't sound like he is very particular!

[hillfooter]

Hi Rachel, with lamp and radiator, they are not too hot are they? Just a thought.

Like you said, your meat chicks are doing well, so the problem could be that chap who hatched them.  Lots of things can go on in an incubator if it isn't kept clean.  Lots of bacteria.  If he just stick eggs in without noting what he's got, it doesn't sound like he is very particular!

My immediate thought too GA.  A heat lamp is OK if they can move away from it to regulate their temperature but a radiator is a definate danger.  For one thing it will come on and off intermitently and for another they can't easily move away from it.  The heat source should be a small area source or a point source like an IR lamp.

Losing so many isn't usual and they clearly was something which was killing them either genetic, disease or environmental.

HF

[rachelr]

I dont think it was the heat as they are in a large broody and could easily get away to a cooler area and they still kept to the glow of the lamp lol.

I had initially thought maybe they were cold as the brooder was bigger than when i had the meat chicks but there was more of them.  I was sure infact that they were cold even put the lamp on its hottest setting for half an hour. They soon moved farther away.

I have to be honest i am pretty sure it is genetics/hygiene and will make sure i do not get anything from him in future.

Thanks i just needed the reassurance that it was not me and as i am very sure they were not too hot then i dont think it was. Darn i had almost convinced my OH to let me have an incubator and now he is dead against it.

[GrannieAnnie]

Don't let this incident put you off rachel if you really want to have a go at incubating.  We know you are willing to cull unwanted cockerals, so there isn't a problem there.  The only thing is, to build up a little group of breeders who are reliable.

It's trail and error I'm afraid.  We bought 24 hatching eggs from a woman NE of Boston.  Better not give names as she is on our Poultry Suppliers list!  Only 2 of the eggs hatched!  Last week a young lad came with his Mum to get some pullets, and they said they were going to this place to buy some ducks.

I told them to have a good look round and look the ducks over well before buying.  A few days later the lad called me.  He said the place was just the same as I'd described to him.  this was a year later, so she hasn't changed!  Still dirty, still sticking goodness knows what in the incubators, and she was even labelling the hatching eggs properly, so goodness know what we might have got!  She also sold me 2 RIR chicks which she said were cockerals, but when they got a bit bigger they had white tails, more like Goldlines!!!   

Oh it has changed a bit, she is into puppy farming too now, and the puppies are in the same barn with the chicks, baby rats, mice, kittens and who knows what else!

[joyfull]

sadly a lot of us have been had in the past by poor breeders out to make a quick buck - I bought 6 young hens and a young cockerel a couple of years ago and everyone of those died within a few weeks - the autopsy stated poor breeding or infected by a dirty incubator or dirty eggs 

[rachelr]

As they are breeding for profit you would think that there would be some sort register and checks being done on them.

The guys house stank of chicken pooh and there was not a square inch of garden not covered in coops and pooh. He has offered to give me more but i wont be going back there again. He had a group of lovely ixworths i was interested in but not now.

Thanks everyone

[joyfull]

sounds like you should avoid this chap at all costs Rachel, been to places like this myself, never again.
Best to go to people who have been recommended by others that you know and trust in future 

[rachelr]

I cant believe all this started cos i wanted a few different coloured birds in the garden lol

It has been quite a tough experience joy. Also of the 5 birds i have left i think 4 are cockrels. Oh well you live and learn eh

[Junie]

Sounds like a tough lesson, it must be awful seeing so many die.
I wouldn't be too worried about getting mostly cockerels just based on them fighting.  We have only had two lots of chicks, 2 cockerels the first time, then 3 hens the second, in the second lot two of them fought more than first two, including jumping at each with their feet up, we were so convinced they were cockerels we even offered one to a friend, but they all turned out to be hens!

Good luck with the rest.

[Casey76]

two of them fought more than first two, including jumping at each with their feet up, we were so convinced they were cockerels we even offered one to a friend, but they all turned out to be hens!

Good luck with the rest.

Oh yes, all chicks do play fighting, chesting it off, flying at each other; and pullets and cockerels will do it equally

[rachelr]

thanks for that i hope they are girls. Maybe i should post a picture some body might be able to guess a wat they are and if they are girls/boys.  Is that possible?

[Casey76]

Well we all love chick pics, even if we can't help you with the breeds or sexing