Recently I have met with one of the local breeder and during our discussion he has mentioned that very recently he had come across a situation that in his colony breeding 2 of the hens had problems with territorial (i.e.) for the same nest box, so he has to separate one hen (without her mate) to a small cage along with a nest box. This hen started laying eggs and her final clutch size was 6 eggs, this was her first clutch it seems. Finally after incubation period, only one chick hatched outoff this complete clutch. Hen was feeding this single chick, but unfortunately check has died when it was around 2 to 3 weeks old. Before this has happened, the breeder has noticed it seems that chick was not that big in size of what a 2 to 3 week usual/normal chick should be of size and chick was unable to stand on its own legs, always lying to one side of its body in the nest box (like human sleeping posture), but also he stated that couple of times chick was trying to stand up on its legs by moving its legs continuosly in the air like pedaling bicycling but unable to make it.

 

Same we have discussed with a local general vet and what he suspects was that chick legs were not having enough strength, this happens when there is a vitamin deficiency. So he adviced us to start giving vimeral, vitamin supplements. Start with by giving continuous 3 days and after which either alternate days or weekly once.

 

You can find the details of vimeral, liquid vitamin supplement medicine details at the below link:

 

http://www.poulvet.com/vetproducts/medicin....php?mediid=424

 

So I thought of posting it here and know your valuable opinions, advices and suggestions on this.

 

In addition, I have the following questions related to this:

 

1) Initially what do you think could be the reason for this situation?

2) If identified this well before, is there any treatment we might have treated and saved this poor chick's life?

3) What steps we have to take to prevent from this happening in future.

 

Thanks,

Karthik

I have just taken one hen out of the breedig avairy due to the fight .... Te father is feeding the chick and the other hen sitting on 7 eggs is alot happier ... I haven't had to removed hens to another cage while sitting on eggs before jst fom avairy to aviary and they were fine ,

 

It could have been a few things No enough calcium before breeding and during the rasing of chicks, a vitiam problem or the hen was a tight sitter ...... I had a delayed chick he is still in the nestbox he is 6 weeks old now looks good now where as before when he was 3 weeks looked 1 due to the lack of the mothe feeding ..... Hmmmm

 

I hope someone more expereicend with this can hlep

Thanks Neat and Kaz.

 

I think we can give calcium supplement if it was due to lack of calcium I suppose and if it was rickets, what are all the visual symptoms and do we have any treatment for this?

 

Also what all are the preventive steps we have to take to avoid this happening in future?

I would suggest that you give this breeder this site information so he can join himself. That way he is getting first hand information. This will also able him to get info when he needs it in case of emergencies... and not a few days after when you can get back to him. I am also not a fan of colony breeding and believe the 'couple' should have their own space to breed and bring up their own family away from others.

Thanks Maesie.

 

I would have been very happy to do that, but unfortunately the problem is that the local breeder what I was mentioning in this start of the thread to whom I have met during my last recent trip to my native home town, where it is difficult to have a computer and net facility in home. So usually it is very difficult for us to use net in my home town. I use net from my working place which is a city, where I currently leave and once a month or so I visit my home town to see my father and birds.

 

Also I have put this in this forum out off my own personal interest and curiosity towards self learning/knowledge purpose .

Edited April 14, 200817 yr by Karthik

Good on you for wanting to find out more Karthik.

 

I like to avoid the potential for these problems by giving the birds as much variety in food as possible. I do have a mineral stone in the aviary but I think this is less important than a good varied diet. If birds are given lots to chose from they should be able to gain basically all the vitamins and minerals they need from their food. In captivity it can be hard to know whether they are infact getting everything they need from the food we provide which is why we give supplements, almost as a 'better safe than sorry' approach.

 

That is they way I see it anyway, which is why I am always looking for extra things for my birds to try. Today I found out I can give them Bok Choy (asian green vegie) so that will be on next weeks shopping list I am also about to try them on dried legumes (peas, lentils, barley and chick peas) so we'll see what they think of that...

I believe it is eseential leading UP TO breeding that birds have been on the best diet possible to stand them in good stead for the hard task of breeding and raising healthy babies. A lot of people forget this in their exhuberance to breed and they only think once the eggs are here as to what extra to feed the birds. If the bird isnt in optimal health prior to breeding there WILL BE ISSUES with the clutch. In this case it would seem not enough calcium and a rickets issue. Breeders should try and have some foresight when breeding their birds and maybe the breeder you speak of has learnt a hard lesson and will hopefully be more prepared for future breeding from this experience.

Thanks Melbournebudgies and Kaz.

 

Absolutely agree that this may have to do some thing related to weakness or some nutritional deficiency.

 

As for as my knowledge and the local breeders in my area so far I have come across, most of us give only the plain seed of french or panicum millet (still I am not sure what exactly you people call in overseas, picture of this seed variety is attached below) along with Coriander and Spinach greens, Tulsi plant leafs (also known as Holy Basil), few local grass varieties, cuttlefish bone, egg shells and terracotta brick.

 

 

After I have joined this excellent forum, I have learnt and still learning everyday and started giving my birds with few vegetables, sprouted mung beans and still trying my best to get few seed varities what Daz suggested in one of the threads. Also tried giving Sunflower seeds, softened raw wheat and boiled egg, but so far no luck.

 

Soon going to try with cron on the cob, this we will get it here only on some seasons. Also going to start giving them few liquid supplements of vitamins, B-Complex and calcium.

 

I am not sure whether I am in the right track, so please correct me if I am in the wrong track. Also suggest me if some thing else needs to be taken care along with this which will help birds to stay fit in good health.

 

If the bird isnt in optimal health prior to breeding there WILL BE ISSUES with the clutch. In this case it would seem not enough calcium and a rickets issue.

Kaz could you please tell me, How we can know whether a bird is in really a good health condition? I know this is a very very basic question which every bird owner should be knowing.

 

Thanks,

Karthik

The main one I have learnt recently is to avoid spinach as it can interfere with calcium absorption

If the bird isnt in optimal health prior to breeding there WILL BE ISSUES with the clutch. In this case it would seem not enough calcium and a rickets issue.

Kaz could you please tell me, How we can know whether a bird is in really a good health condition? I know this is a very very basic question which every bird owner should be knowing.

 

Thanks,

Karthik

 

A bird that is healthy and ready to breed, assuming its of age, is bright and alert. flying and active in its environment. It has glossy and full feather condition. It eats well, has good bodyweight, no pooey bottom, full breeding condition cere colour ( male or female ).

 

A bird that sits in cramped conditions, is "depressed", and has no room to fly in its breeder cage, has dull feathers, or is moulting, has out of breeding condition cere colour , carrying any illnesses, not eating well of foods offered, not eating a variety of good food, and is in any way thin is no bird to be trying to breed with.

 

Breeding is hard on the birds. Preparation for breeding birds should never be a hasty decision based on the bird owners needs for either financial gain or the desire for cute babies. It should be well thought out many months in advance, the best of food offered to bring the birds into great condition, and only when they have reached the best condition...only then breed with them.

The breeding environment should be of a spaciousness to allow them to fly across the cage in displays of mating behaviour and not just a perch to sit on in a cramped cage next to a makeshift object too small to raise a decent amount of babies in. In short...it must be a happy and stressfree place for them to be in for a couple of months or more.

Good post Kaz :hap:

Thank you very much Kaz for your detailed explanation as always. :sad:

Edited April 20, 200817 yr by Karthik