Chicks Dying after 2 days!! help!!!

[bex46]

Hi guys, really need some help with this.
I have hatched 2 lots of modern game bantam eggs this year, both times 2 of the 3 chicks have died within 2 days, they sit down and look abit weak, then die. Its really strange, i hatch 100s of chicks each year and this hasnt happened with any of my other birds, its only the Game. The birds are definatley unrelated, cockerels bought in last year from up North and hens bought from a breeder down South. Any Ideas please?

 

[Marigold]

What are you feeding them on? Is there any blood in their poos? I'm sure you know all about coccidiosis symptoms, prevention and treatment, but wondered if you can rule this out as the cause.

 

[chrismahon]

One possibility is Bronchitis. It is transmitted in the egg from the mother and kills chicks at 2-3 days. If you turn the chick upside down and fluid runs out that is it. Their lungs fill up with fluid and they effectively suffocate. Can't think of any other reasons with all your hatching experience Bex. Bit too quick for Coccidiosis I think, as they don't start eating until day 2.

 

[Philcott]

I too would rule out cocci - think it's got a five day incubation period. No idea otherwise though - sorry.

 

[bex46]

Hi, thanks for your replies, im thinking Bronchitis!. Didnt think of that. ive just put 5 more eggs in the incubator, on their own and will brood whatever hatches on their own, and see what happens. fingers crossed! thanks again, if you think of anything else please let me know before they hatch. xxx

 

[chrismahon]

You need to mark the eggs from each hen Bex and then the chicks. The mother will be a carrier if that's the case and no good for breeding with.

Storey's Guide has a novel method. Inject food dye into the pointy end of the egg at day 15 and they come out with feathers that colour. Doesn't say if they use incubators which stand the eggs vertically though, so may be a big risk there.

 

[Marigold]

You would get such pretty chicks if you did that, especially if they were supposed to hatch plain white- if they hatched at all, that is. You could get a rainbow of chicks. Would go viral on YouTube!

 

[Chuck]

Did you give the incubator a good clean and disinfect before using it again ?

 

[bex46]

Chuck: ye course, i actually have 3 separate incubators.

 

[foxy]

Strange, I would probably rule out disease, and plug for a genetic problem even though your breeding stock are unrelated. Usually maternal antibodies will protect the chick in the first 2 weeks of life from disease. Most mortality in the first week is either due to bacteria in the incubator/and or a problem with the incubator which you have ruled out or inherited defects/issues with breeding stock.

Not nice though, and better luck with the next hatch! 17

 

[bex46]

I think your probably right Foxy. i generally incubate and brood all my bantams together, all the other chicks are fighting fit, and as not all the game chicks died, im thinking that it maybe a particular hen in my flock as you say. So my plan of action is to separate the hens 1 by 1, ring them and colour code the egg they have laid, then pop them in the incy and see who the culprit is. 19

 

[chrismahon]

Remember to turn one upside down if any do die Bex to confirm Bronchitis. The one we lost to it I picked up and turned slightly upside down by accident and a gooy clear fluid ran from its beak all down my jeans. At that stage I checked the internet for a diagnosis and my wife, a nurse, was quite right -same with humans.