Hi Lib,

 

I only bred for first time last Aug. Had 5 cages. only lost one chick (not covered and frozen). Had 27 healthy chicks. Some clear eggs, one scatty hen left 5 eggs. No fatalities a couple of long feathered chicks but that's not an issue as in your case.

Everything your already doing sounds really good so why? What about temp. aspect of aviary etc..time of breeding. Any outside contaminates, overspray from garden insecticides e.g. wish I could be more help. Keep posting, as I'm sure someone may give you a clue. Good luck with it all.

 

An after- thought, how are your chicks you do raise? are they all healthy fit birds or do they have issues of any sort? If it's an environment issue they may give you a clue. :rofl:

 

All the chicks that do survive are really healthy and strong, i have only ever had 2 chicks in 27 years that have had deformities and they died anyway. My breeding cabinets are outdoors as i don't have the luxury of indoor breeding rooms because we are renting for a couple of years but they are elevated of the ground and are free standing along the side of the aviary, morning sun, afternoon shade the floor is wire so all waste materials fall through the bottom onto the ground so everything is clean. As for sprays, i don't use them as i am all for organic/al a natural.

Maybe it is the outside breeding? the chicks are in a less controlled environment as far as temps/wind/rain so maybe it does come down to survival of the fittest when breeding out doors??

 

 

hay lib my breeding is all out doors

i cover my birds with a tarp at night to keep warmer and from wind and draft

draft is a huge killer of any age show bird i have experienced

why i wrapped my aviary in glad wrap

you could easliy do same

put a water proof canvas tarp on across the top of your breeding cages and roll down every night it has to cover from bottom of back of cages and around and down the frount you can ground it a few diffren ways with a lead pipe all way through the canvas tarp which you stitch on

or bricks sitting on top

how ever doesnt matter so long as no draft gets in

you must get up early to lift though like 530 am before birds awake or 600am latest i keep the tarp down on rainy days or windy cold days

and i try not to check boxes on cold days until a time that wind may die down

 

i hope you find answer chicks are dieing at all difrent stages so its hard to know with out really seeing

 

 

I know your being serious here, but I couldn't help but laugh when I read that sentences... Glad wrap... :hap:

 

But I do like the idea... I put a trap across the front of my aviary during winter as it helps keep the water out and warmth in... The rest of my aviary is closed in...

Mice can also disturb nesting hens causing them to sit badly or abandon nests altogether. Other disturbances at night due to outdoor environment (cats, dogs, owls etc) can also affect this.

 

Sooooooooo many reasons for early chcik death....... disease, disturbances, toxins (in environment or food sources), difficult hatchings, stupid hens, cocks that get into the nest and kick eggs and chicks around, hens not feeding chicks, large size differences in the nest, blood mites (suck the life out of small chicks).... etc, etc, etc.

Any chance mice are going through the cages ? They can climb aviary mesh and access cages ? Because that would explain some deaths related to their droppings and wee in food and water and also hens getting off nests. Photo of setup would help work out a solution.

I suppose that would not be entirely impossible. I did try to make it as vermin proof as possible but some creatures are pretty tricky. I haven't noticed any visible signs of mice or rats(no droppings in nest boxes or chewing on cages)There are some photo's of my set up somewhere on here. I posted them not long ago but i am unsure of how you find them. I suppose ferral cats could be spooking the birds at night, that could be an option.

Mice can also disturb nesting hens causing them to sit badly or abandon nests altogether. Other disturbances at night due to outdoor environment (cats, dogs, owls etc) can also affect this.Sooooooooo many reasons for early chcik death....... disease, disturbances, toxins (in environment or food sources), difficult hatchings, stupid hens, cocks that get into the nest and kick eggs and chicks around, hens not feeding chicks, large size differences in the nest, blood mites (suck the life out of small chicks).... etc, etc, etc.

We covered the mice part, and based on the setup.......yes mice could be going through the cages.

There are many reasons why chicks die in the nest. Newborns not being fed, too many in nest of different sizes as clearwing stated, disease, poor mothering (crappy hens or disturbances in the night) causing chilling, diseases from yellow belly to psittacosis and french moult.

 

Yes and I covered the night disturbances part earlier on in the thread too but as it seemed to need repeating again, I did. Broken record, broken record...... Sooooooooo many reasons for early chcik death....... disease, disturbances (including mice, cats, whatever), toxins (in environment or food sources), difficult hatchings, stupid hens, cocks that get into the nest and kick eggs and chicks around, hens not feeding chicks, large size differences in the nest, blood mites (suck the life out of small chicks).... etc, etc, etc.

Cockroaches also disturb hens from nests and cause night frights, especially those really big ones that run around at night...they are attracted to seed and crevices ( like between your cages and the aviary ) :rofl:

Cockroaches also disturb hens from nests and cause night frights, especially those really big ones that run around at night...they are attracted to seed and crevices ( like between your cages and the aviary ) :party0011:

Thanks guys,

 

Lots to consider, i will make some changes and see if it makes a difference to the survival rate.

I live in the country so there are lots of things that could disturb hens at night (foxes, ferral cats, possums, rats, mice all the usuall). The only way mice can get in the breeding cabinets would be through the wire doors with the vertical wire on the front of the cage doors, what would you suggest to prevent this (keeping in mind they need to slide), I will get my husband to put some miniorb across the back to stop the breeze (wind tunnel-good thought).

Cockroaches also disturb hens from nests and cause night frights, especially those really big ones that run around at night...they are attracted to seed and crevices ( like between your cages and the aviary ) :party0011:

Thanks guys,

 

Lots to consider, i will make some changes and see if it makes a difference to the survival rate.

I live in the country so there are lots of things that could disturb hens at night (foxes, ferral cats, possums, rats, mice all the usuall). The only way mice can get in the breeding cabinets would be through the wire doors with the vertical wire on the front of the cage doors, what would you suggest to prevent this (keeping in mind they need to slide), I will get my husband to put some miniorb across the back to stop the breeze (wind tunnel-good thought).

 

Mice can get through 12mm and that means most aviary wire. The holes on mouse bait boxes is 12 mm and they get into those easy enough the eat the bait. Your square mesh is likely 12mm square or close to it.

Edited April 14, 201015 yr by KAZ

Cockroaches also disturb hens from nests and cause night frights, especially those really big ones that run around at night...they are attracted to seed and crevices ( like between your cages and the aviary ) :party0011:

Thanks guys,

 

Lots to consider, i will make some changes and see if it makes a difference to the survival rate.

I live in the country so there are lots of things that could disturb hens at night (foxes, ferral cats, possums, rats, mice all the usuall). The only way mice can get in the breeding cabinets would be through the wire doors with the vertical wire on the front of the cage doors, what would you suggest to prevent this (keeping in mind they need to slide), I will get my husband to put some miniorb across the back to stop the breeze (wind tunnel-good thought).

 

Mice can get through 12mm and that means most aviary wire. The holes on mouse bait boxes is 12 mm and they get into those easy enough the eat the bait. Your square mesh is likely 12mm square or close to it.

What have you had to do to mouse proof your set up.

I think my aviary wire is 10mm square, i will have to check it in the morining, i remember searching around for the smallest wire i could get, keeping in mind wanting to keep out mice but like i said before they are sneeky little creatures. I might invest in some one way mice traps that the mice have to walk into and get trapped inside a little box (birds can't get hurt) which will give me some answers.

What have you had to do to mouse proof your set up.

 

I made sure there is no mesh down to the ground so mice can either climb it or walk through. Tin or colourbond is up to a metre off the ground.

Even if your mesh is 10MM, as its square the mice can get through, as can cockroaches.

Check one of my topics on mousetraps for a good one that catches lots of mice repeatedly through the night and catches them alive.

 

The bricks you have at the base of the aviry, mice can easily climb and walk along. Then the mesh they will run across and then get into your breeding cages from the back most likely. Being up against the aviary gives them access. A smooth tin back will help stop that as will moving the suspended cages further from the aviary. Against a brick wall is no good as mice run all over bricks as they can get a good foothold on bricks.

I had a mouse problem, I found one one night in the seed dish. But my cage is off the ground? I sorted that one out though. My cage is all wire and that wasn't a problem for me with drafts.

I had a mouse problem, I found one one night in the seed dish. But my cage is off the ground? I sorted that one out though. My cage is all wire and that wasn't a problem for me with drafts.

Your cage

 

isnt far enough off the ground to stop any mice ratzy...........they can jump 2ft ( 600mm or more ) and they can climb brick walls and leap across from them onto a cage.

Your cage is very accessible for mice Ratzy.

Cockroaches also disturb hens from nests and cause night frights, especially those really big ones that run around at night...they are attracted to seed and crevices ( like between your cages and the aviary ) :party0011:

Thanks guys,

 

Lots to consider, i will make some changes and see if it makes a difference to the survival rate.

I live in the country so there are lots of things that could disturb hens at night (foxes, ferral cats, possums, rats, mice all the usuall). The only way mice can get in the breeding cabinets would be through the wire doors with the vertical wire on the front of the cage doors, what would you suggest to prevent this (keeping in mind they need to slide), I will get my husband to put some miniorb across the back to stop the breeze (wind tunnel-good thought).

 

 

you can buy mouse proof wire

im getting some soon its not much and you can double wire your cabinets with it cover windows gaps under and ontop of doors ect

 

 

you can spray your breeding cabinets as nubbly five does i tried this this round with great success

no eky bugs of any type

 

but i dont think its mice

as youd smell them and see poo

Hi Lib,

I'm inclined to agree with G.B. if there is no smell, droppings of mice I think I'd try the draft issue first. If you change everything at once you won't know for sure what the problem was. Maybe you could tack screen door mesh, (not the plastic type) over your door panel's. That might stop mice if they are present also cut the draft somewhat and still give ventilation.

There wont be signs of mice with a mesh base to the cages.

yes theirs still poo kaz

mice poo while eatting walking their poos small but its still their

and anyways hens would make dolphin noicse at night if mice bothering them

 

i dont think its mice

i just got a report back on my bird as i sent a young ill bird for a full test of everything then to be put to sleep and micro autopsyed

came back pneumonia of the chest

my avirys got no draft exept one small spot

which i will now fix and my flights like laura palma wrapped in plastic

yet a small draft was the cause of all my many deaths this past year

not on thing else wrong and was not viral litrally pneumonia like people get

id cover drafts first

yes theirs still poo kaz

mice poo while eatting walking their poos small but its still their

 

I seriously doubt there would be any evidence of mouse poo in a cage with a base like this

yes theirs still poo kaz

mice poo while eatting walking their poos small but its still their

 

I seriously doubt there would be any evidence of mouse poo in a cage with a base like this

 

 

it wouldnt be in cage it would be on ground with in amoungsrt the seed and ****

but im not ruling out mice just think that with a cage that open draft cold is my first concern

but could be mice but i dont think its that

yes theirs still poo kaz

mice poo while eatting walking their poos small but its still their

 

I seriously doubt there would be any evidence of mouse poo in a cage with a base like this

 

 

it wouldnt be in cage it would be on ground with in amoungsrt the seed and ****

but im not ruling out mice just think that with a cage that open draft cold is my first concern

but could be mice but i dont think its that

Draught is definitely a major factor here

yes theirs still poo kaz

mice poo while eatting walking their poos small but its still their

 

I seriously doubt there would be any evidence of mouse poo in a cage with a base like this

 

 

it wouldnt be in cage it would be on ground with in amoungsrt the seed and ****

but im not ruling out mice just think that with a cage that open draft cold is my first concern

but could be mice but i dont think its that

Draught is definitely a major factor here

 

 

one way to combat the draft getting under and in would be to just nail or screw to blocks of wood onto underside of cages and with each block have it have a groove as so you can make one big long tray to pull out and clean

or you could do same idea in smaller sections one per cage

just place a peaice of paper on the draws so its easyly cleaned daily

 

thats what id do