Author Topic: Chicks dying 3-5 days after hatching (Read 2051 times)

AndrewMBaines · « **on:** September 15, 2012, 03:35:37 pm »

I was given 12 Guinea Fowl eggs when I bought a couple of chickens and ducks recently. The eggs had only been laid that morning, so were from a mixture of parents. I was hoping to breed a few more, and keep them for meat.
I've hatched using an incubator before, but only ducks and chickens.
6 hatched, which is about normal for my incubator.
2 looked wobbly very early on - their legs would get tangled with their wings, and they'd struggle to move around. They seemed to have little strength in their legs. They died yesterday.
2 more had the same symptoms this morning, they died today.
The remaining 2 look fine - they've grown much bigger than the others did, so hoping they're going to be OK.

I've not done anything differently to normal, so not sure if I'm doing something wrong and just been lucky in the past, or if they're faulty in some way.

Is it possible that this is a congenital fault? Could it be a disease? Or have I done something wrong?

I'm not planning to breed from them now. but am unsure about putting them out with my chickens when they're bigger if there is a possibility of disease.

Beewyched · « **Reply #1 on:** September 15, 2012, 04:16:52 pm »

Hi Andrew

IMHO I don't think you've done anything wrong. I would say, from what you've described, it's more to do with the parents - either inter-breeding or not in good health. I wouldn't have thought the 2 survivors have anything that could be passed-on to your other fowl - if they make it through till the off-heat stage, they should be fine.
If the other 2 are ok & you're still going to think of breeding, I wouldn't let them breed with each other either (if they are opposite sex) buy-in from another breeder.
Sad to hear of your bad experience - it's never pleasant losing young stock

AndrewMBaines · « **Reply #2 on:** September 15, 2012, 04:41:44 pm »

Thanks, that's reassuring.
I also bought 2 runner ducks (both female, we have males), a Shetland Chicken and a hybrid Maran. The Shetland died, she had been very quiet from when we bought her.
I've not dealt with this breeder before - time to find someone else, or just unfortunate coincidence?

Beewyched · « **Reply #3 on:** September 16, 2012, 10:03:04 am »

I'd mention this to the breeder - I would certainly want to know if my stock was passing-down faults/illnesses.
See what sort of response you get - it may just be a one-off or there could be some serious welfare issues behind this.
If you are interested in breeding, I would recommend getting stock from more than 1 breeder in any case to try & ensure genetic diversity. It could be worth your while sourcing birds from members of the various Breed Clubs too.
Good luck