raising bantams – VJP Poultry

How To Prevent Chick Deaths During the First Week of Life

May 25, 2018April 29, 2020 by vjppoultry, posted in New Silkies

20170518_104519 One day old chicks are so irresistibly cute when they first learn to eat, drink and move around. First time chicken owners are drawn to the sweetness of a baby chick and make rash purchases before realizing that newborns are more fragile than they think. There is a huge difference between a chick that is one day old and a chick that is one week old. Truth be told, a baby chick is much more apt to die in that first week than at any other time in its life.

Some don’t make it to the point of hatching out. Lethal genes or creeper genes can cause chicks to die during development. This is a genetic trait that certain breeds have. Some will make it to the hatcher and then die before hatching due to humidity and temperature issues.

When a clutch of eggs is hatched the chicks that hatch first are usually the strongest and healthiest. They have no trouble zipping around that shell and breaking free. If the chick is a late hatcher it has been my experience that they have more trouble. They are prone to leg issues or even need to be helped out of the shell. They tend to be stickier as well and have a harder time fluffing out. Leg issues include straddle leg or even having a hard time standing up on their feet. Right from the beginning you have some chicks that are just healthier and stronger than others.

Hatching out too quickly or often when being helped out of the egg, can lead to unabsorbed egg yolk. The umbilical cord can also end up hanging out. Pulling on it can cause the intestines to pull through. Sometimes by helping it hatch you are giving life to a chick that may not end up living very long. Chicks that have a red or sore looking umbilical area should be watched for infection.

Water and food should be offered to chicks within the first 24 hours. Hatcheries that ship chicks often rely on the fact that chicks can live off the energy from their egg yolk for three days. Chicks will become dehydrated if not offered water and will be healthier if they start eating sooner. Shipped chicks have a higher death rate than chicks bought from local breeders or raised by a broody hen. Some hatcheries will include Grogel to their shipping boxes to help chicks stay hydrated.

By day 3 or 4 chicks are no longer receiving energy from their yolk. Some may begin to die after the third day. They will close their eyes and become lethargic. Then they die. Losses of baby chicks almost always occur in the first two weeks of life. A mortality rate of 1-5 percent is considered normal for a hatch. Anything above 5 percent is abnormal. Failure to thrive is a very real thing and young chicks often die leaving us wondering what has happened.

One of the biggest chick management factors for early death has to do with brooder temperature. Most people use a heat lamp and bulb for small groups of chicks. You adjust the temperature by raising and lowering the heat lamp over the brooder. Often the brooder ends up being much too hot. Too high of temperature can lead to dehydration. The body of a young chick is 70 percent water. A water loss of 10 percent will cause death. Pasting up, which is poo that sticks and covers the chick’s vent, is often due to too high of temperature in the brooder. Many chick deaths occur because their vents have become plugged up with dried poo and they can no longer eliminate.

Low brooder temperature can also lead to deaths in young chicks. If they are too cool, they can become chilled and develop pneumonia. Chicks that huddle together can ultimately smother the weaker ones. Pasting up can also be caused by too cool of temperatures. Chicks will let you know they are too cold by huddling under the lamp and making very loud cheeping noises. Too hot and they will gather in the corners, panting and lying down. Transitioning from too warm to too cold back and forth is also a cause of pasting up and ill health. Any transition can cause stress which can lead to death.

I recommend something with radiant heat like a sweeter heater or an ecoglow as a heat source. The radiant heat is safer than a heat lamp bulb and will give a constant temperature. For more information check out Brooder Heat Sources. Make sure that you adjust the brooder temperature 24 hours before introducing chicks to it. We like to use a temperature gun for accurate readings.

The food and water you choose to give your chicks can also lead to early mortality. Chick starter that is old and has started to get moldy can cause death. Check for a date on the bag. Chick starter can often come in pieces too large for a newborn chick which could cause them to choke. I like to take my chick starter crumble and grind it up even smaller in a coffee grinder. I feel that this helps with digestion and with pasting up as well. Do not give newborns a lot of other foods besides the chick starter. Treats should not be given until they are over one week old. Anything besides chick starter, yogurt or scrambled eggs needs grit (sand) in order to grind it in their crop.

Water that is too salty can lead to early death. I like to add Rooster Booster with vitamins, electrolytes and probiotics to my water. I also add apple cider vinegar with the mother as well to the water. Make sure that you have your feeders and waterers up as high as the backs of your chicks. The chicks tend to kick shavings and poo into them which can plug up the waterers and contaminate the water. Change water daily and clean and sanitize feeders and waterers weekly.

You may need to show your young chicks how to drink. Mother hen usually gently pushes their beaks into the water and you can do the same. If you pick up a chick and it feels much lighter than the other chicks, it has probably not learned how to eat or drink yet. I will dip their beaks into the water first and then dip them into their feed so that the chick crumble sticks to their beaks.

Make sure that there is adequate air ventilation in and around your brooder. Toxic gasses such as ammonia, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide can kill small chicks if they are exposed to them. Chicks require a minimum 100 percent air exchange six times in a 24 four period. This should not be a cold draft but continuous movement of air in the brooder. A plastic tub with high sides does not have a lot of air movement allowed. One problem encountered with poor air movement is sinusitis. This is caused by excess humidity and ammonia released from chicken poo. Remove damp bedding which causes pathogenic micro organisms to multiply and large clumps of poo in the brooder and spread a thin layer of bedding on top of the old. Once a week change out the bedding and sanitize the brooder with something like Oxivir.

Construct your brooder to keep out predators. A screen should lay over the top to keep out insects, vermin, dogs and cats. If you have small children who like to handle the chicks make sure that they are supervised. Newborn chicks can jump out of your hands. Injuries caused by crushing or squeezing too hard are a very real problem with little ones. I would keep handling of chicks less than a week old to a minimum. Any injuries can lead to infection and should be treated with Vetericyn spray.

Avoid having too many chicks in a brooder. Overcrowding is one of the number one causes for early death. Trampling, starvation and damp litter are caused by overcrowding. Chicks with vaults like silkies or polish need to be especially careful with having too many pen mates. A well placed peck to the head will result in death. Any drop of blood or open bare spot is an invitation for the other chicks to peck at it. Loss of down caused by pasting up attracts others in the pen to continue to peck at it until bleeding occurs. Separation is sometimes necessary.

Practice biosecurity around your brooder. Wear gloves around your adult chickens and wash your hands before handling the newborns. Wear different shoes or boots around your adults than you do around your brooder. Newborns do not have well developed immune systems. You will be bringing in germs and diseases on the bottoms of your feet. You may also bring in mites from the outside coop. Young chicks are very prone to an attack by mites which will result in death if not dealt with. I use the powder very sparingly if I think that they have been exposed.

Light is important in your brooder. Chick activity is greatest in bright light. They need to be able to see the food and water. Lights should be low or off at night. If you use a heat lamp bulb, choose one with an infrared coating. This helps with pecking and at night can help simulate darkness.

Coccidiosis can be a killer during the first week of life. Because of possible exposure to the disease people will use medicated chick starter. I would only use it if you think that your chicks are being exposed. If they are inside and you practice good brooder hygiene you probably won’t need to worry. Medicated feed can rob your chick of some vitamins.

Some items to have on hand just in case of a problem would be Save-a-chick, which goes into their water and provides electrolytes. There is also one which adds probiotics. Nutridrench can give a boost to a lethargic chick but read directions for use with young birds.

Chicks under one week old are very fragile. If at all possible try and purchase birds over one week old. They are stronger and sturdier and have a much better chance of survival. They know how to eat and drink and the pasting up usually ends after the first week.

For tips and tricks for raising outstanding silkies check out our Chicken Learning Center at VJPPoultry.com . VJP Poultry is an NPIP and state inspected hatchery located 30 miles north of St. Paul. We hatch out silkies all year long so we always have stock available. Like us on Facebook to get weekly updates on what we currently have for sale.

Victoria J. Peterson

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Why Your Chicken Needs a Dust Bath

April 4, 2018April 30, 2020 by vjppoultry, posted in New Silkies

20180323_145950-1 All chickens should have access to dust baths. It doesn’t matter what breed or age of chicken, it is instinctual for them to wallow in the dust and dirt. It is their way of getting clean and practicing good hygiene.

When you first witness this dust bathing, you may think that something is wrong with your bird. It almost looks like they are in trouble or having a seizure. They are lying on their sides with one leg sticking out and the other scraping dirt and dust in kind of a circular motion. The wings are throwing dirt up into the air so that it falls back down on top of them. It looks scary , but it is perfectly normal.

Chickens will create a dust bath area all by themselves. A chicken scratches and digs out a bowl shaped depression in the dirt or will even use the shavings inside of the coop. The chicken settles into this hollow, fluffs up its feathers and then scratches up the dirt.

It might look like they are making a nest to lay eggs because it is round in shape but these are preparations for dust bathing. Chickens use their feet and wings to get loose dirt throughout their skin and feathers. Once they are completely covered in a layer of dirt, the bird will fluff and shake off the substance to evenly distribute it on their bodies.

A chicken’s dust bath helps to remove excess oil, as well as parasites such as lice, mites and ticks. Dust bathing is an important part of keeping chickens healthy and clean. It is important that your chicken has access to areas where dust bathing can take place. Most will look for a sunny spot with loose dirt. Even if they never get to free range, you can set up a dust bath in their coop or pen.

There are four main behaviors when dust bathing: vertical wing-shaking, head rubbing, bill raking and scratching with one leg. The hen scratches with her feet and beak at the ground. She then erects her feathers and lies down. They create deep bowls as they wiggle and squirm to get dirt deep under their feathers. They make happy noises while flipping dirt all over themselves. The dust collects between the feathers and then is shaken off. This helps to give the feathers good insulating abilities.

Chickens clean their feathers and skin by preening with their beaks and using an oil gland at the base of their tail. After a dust bath a hen will spend time primping and pecking at their feathers. This helps to smooth their feathers and removes sheaths on new feathers. Feather maintenance is very important. Birds of all kinds take dust baths and certain mammals do as well to keep clean and remove parasites.

Most dust bathing occurs in the middle of the day. Warm temperatures increase dust bathing behavior. Hens will tend to dust bath if they see other hens doing it. It ends up being a very social activity. It is not just hens that will dust bath, but roosters enjoy doing it as well.

The need for a dust bath is ingrained in their behavior. They will dig holes if you don’t provide them with a spot. Free ranging birds will find a place in your garden if you let them. Battery hens in cages will sham dust bathe. They will go through the motions of dust bathing even if there is no other material in their cages.

Here at VJP Poultry, we decided it was time to create some dust bathing areas inside of our runs. We used treated 1″ X 4″ lumber and made 18″ X 24″ boxes with no bottom. We set them in the run and filled them half full with play sand.

There are other things that you can use to create your dust bathing areas. Any large shallow pan such as a kitty litter pan or small kiddie pools. Fill it with a variety of substrates. Some examples would be : Fine sand, dry dirt, or peat moss.

Some people like to add food grade diatomaceous Earth or DE. The sharp edges pierce the soft body parts of parasites and kills them. Be careful with DE as it can be very harmful if inhaled and can damage lungs. Use a small amount as part of your substrate.

Firepit ash or ash from a wood stove is another product that can be used. Birds can absorb magnesium, calcium and vitamin K from the ash. Use ash from hardwood trees and make sure that if you remove it from your own fire pit that there isn’t any additional chemicals such as in treated lumber.

Dried herbs are natural pest repellents. They can get rid of mosquitoes, flies and ants as well as parasites such as mites, lice and ticks. They provide calming aroma therapy and have antibacterial properties to heal minor scratches and wounds. Add them to the substrate as well.

You can also purchase ready made dust bath products. It is easy to add to what ever other products you want in your dust bath mix.

Remember that you will need to periodically clean out your dust bath area. I pick out the big chunks daily and give it a good raking. A cover or a beach umbrella will help to keep out the rain. You want your dust bath to stay as dry as possible. One of those turtle sand boxes with a cover or any sandbox with a cover can make a great dusting area. If possible, move your dusting area inside in the winter to prevent the substrate from freezing.

Victoria J. Peterson

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The Mysterious Courtship Dance of Chickens

February 12, 2018May 12, 2020 by vjppoultry, posted in New Silkies

Most birds perform some kind of courtship dance as a prelude to actual mating. There are many magnificent displays in the avian world. Think about what peacocks do in their foreplay to get the lady bird in the mood with their beautiful tails.

Roosters will try to lure and entice their mates by displaying their beauty as well. They attempt to attract their mates as they fan their wings in a romantic manner. This is called a wing drag or wing flicking. He will begin to make some croaking sounds as he gets closer to the hen.

The rooster performs a dance, circling the hen with his wing dropped stiffly towards the ground and quivering. As he circles around her making his croaking noise, she will either encourage him or try to come up with an escape plan. In a perfect situation the hen will daintily squat down and raise her shoulders to flatten out, welcoming him in every way.

The rooster then leaps onto her back and balances precariously with one foot on either side of her shoulders. This is called Threading. He grabs the female’s neck with his beak and pulls back her head. He then lowers his vent opening (cloaca) by sliding his tail under the hen and she pushes her vent opening to meet with his. There is no penetration. The sperm released from the male is taken into the vent by the female. From there the sperm travels up the oviduct where it awaits the release of an ovum. The sperm can be actively alive in the hen for more than two weeks. This whole sexual act takes about two seconds. When mating is done, the hen will rise, shake her feathers and go on with whatever she was doing beforehand.

The female chicken does not have a separate vaginal structure. The vent or cloaca is used for both defecation and reproduction. The males also have a vent or cloaca but they do not have a penis to actually penetrate the hen. The rooster’s sexual organ is called the papilla. It is located inside of the bird, just inside of the vent. It looks like a small bump. Semen exits through it. Ducks have a penis but chickens do not.

A hen lays an egg every day or so regardless if there is a rooster around or not. In order for it to be a fertile egg, you will need the rooster to do his part. Each time a yolk ripens, the sperm will fertilize it provided it is in the hen’s oviduct. The white is created and then lastly the shell will form around the egg. A fertilized egg will have a dot surrounded by a ring around it which looks like a bullseye on the yolk. In an infertile egg there will only be a white dot. You can check this out by cracking open an egg and looking at it.

Chickens also engage in a little dance called “tid-bitting.” If a rooster finds a choice bit of food that looks really tasty, he bobs his head up and down and makes his “tid-bitting” call. He picks up the food and drops it repeatedly in order to attract the hen. He may even offer the morsel in his beak. It all looks very romantic and sweet but he is also establishing his role among the hens as a provider and leader.

There are many different recommendations as to how many hens per rooster to give you adequate fertility in your eggs. Most say eight to twelve hens per rooster. If you have a heavier breed, the ratio would be lower. If you have a smaller breed the ratio would be higher. If you would like more information on how to improve fertility in roosters check out this article.

You may want to isolate breeders to make sure that you know who the father is. Wait at least two weeks if your hen has been exposed to other roosters to make sure that all of the sperm inside the hen is no longer active. If you are interested in showing poultry or are just interested in improving your flock you can set up breeding pens where you can isolate certain pairings in order to get certain types of chicks.

As winter ends and spring begins the testosterone in the roosters starts to rise. Roosters will begin to mount challenges to each other as they fight for the rights to the hens. You may want to separate the roosters, but remember, once you separate them it will be very hard to put them back together again.

Crowing is both an invitation to hens and a warning to other roosters in the area. Serious fights can happen between roosters. They can use their sharp spurs as weapons. Aggression when establishing dominance is normal behavior in the chicken world. If you give them plenty of space, they will usually work the dominance hierarchy out themselves. Chickens have strict pecking orders. The alpha rooster is at the top, then the hens and lastly the younger pullets and cockerels.

A rooster can mate up to thirty times a day depending on how many hens are available to him. Not all roosters are interested in mating or are built for it. You should have a similar sized rooster matched with a similar sized hen for best chance of fertilization. If you want to try and improve the virility of your rooster, you may want to add some vitamins and electrolytes to his water or some Rooster Booster Poultry Cell. A little B-12 would perk him up a little too.

Most roosters are very interested in mating with the hens. They will chase hens causing them to lose feathers. Constant harassment on the part of the rooster can cause bald spots on the hen’s back. The roosters do have favorite hens which they will mate repeatedly. You may want to invest in hen saddles. They protect the hen’s back and sides. They can also be worn to prevent self-picking or feather picking from other hens. Pick no more and Blu-Kote are also products that can help prevent the picking and aid in treatment . Vetericyn Spray will help to treat wounded birds as well.

If you want to aid in feather grow back, Feather Fixer feed can help increase protein in their diet. You may also want to trim the spurs and toenails on your rooster using a diagonal wire cutter. Information on how to do this is Here. This can help to prevent any wounds occurring on your hens.

A well mannered rooster who dances for his ladies and waits for them to accept him is a joy to behold. Your pens will be much calmer if you keep and breed roosters with this special ability.

Victoria J. Peterson