chick survival rate
- Thread starter bauerline
- Start date
When I raised pheasants as a new person it was a learning curve. But after I figure out how to keep the chicks warm and healthy for the first two weeks, and I am no expert, I got close to 75% of my chicks grew up to release date.
Print out the guide below and follow the directions closely for helpful tips:
www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/dayoldchicks.pdf
FCSpringer
Moderator
It can be all over the board. I have had all live from a hundred to release before, and lost 200 in one day before too. Temperature is the #1 factor, too hot they cook, too cold they pile and die. Keep it right at 100, and have plenty of room, no corners, rocks in the water( they run and power nap, will flop their head right in the water and die. When I saved them all I spent many many hrs in there, flipping them back up when they tip on their back and so on. If they do they can't turn over and the others will pick them to death. They commit suiside with out 2nd thought. They are so stupid. Fresh greens and shiny things hanging for them to pick at help, along with fresh sod clumps. Temp, temp, temp, temp.....
A thermostdat is a big help to turn off and on heat bulbs, with a seconday smaller watt bulb that stays on for light. Good luck, just don't let them go young, it doesn't work. Adults is the way to go if your going to all this work. And once they have blinders on they won't pick with room and are easy to care for. Just feed and water. no lights and baby sitting.:thumbsup:
A thermostdat is a big help to turn off and on heat bulbs, with a seconday smaller watt bulb that stays on for light. Good luck, just don't let them go young, it doesn't work. Adults is the way to go if your going to all this work. And once they have blinders on they won't pick with room and are easy to care for. Just feed and water. no lights and baby sitting.:thumbsup:
Exactly what FC Springer said, with an exclamation!!! If your getting day olds shipped it depends a great deal on the shape they were in when they get to you as well. Even if you do everything right, after that, it may not help you. If they come postal, make arrangements to pick them up at the post office bright and early.
BleuBijou
Active member
I am sorry , but no!!!!! Keep at it as the other boys stated it can change in a heart beat!!!! Keep us posted!!
FCSpringer
Moderator
If you even end up with half you did well. Be ready for medication and arm your self with info on cocksidosis. Med them fast at the first sign or you will loose them quick. All get it by the time there adult, and develop immunity, which helps them in the wild. But if they pull through good with little assistance it's better to let their own immunity take over.
bauerline
Well-known member
As of Thursday night I lost six chicks. On Friday morining I found some more dead chicks and couple more in the afternoon for a total of 15 birds. When I check on them they are spread out and not piled up in one area. The chicks came from the PGC and are given free to clubs that sign up for the program. I helped out a little last year but now I'm the one taking care of things. We'll see how things go. Thanks for the advice.
You need to get to a day free of death loss, or at least decreasing loss, fairly quickly. Shipping stress usually evens out to zero in about 48 hours. If you continue to lose them in equal or increasing numbers, a re-evaluation of what your doing is in order. Check your feed, you need high protien gamebird or turkey starter, for one, and sprinkle it around on news papers on the floor, change the paper everyday, for a few days, sometimes they get lost and just don't find the feeder or waterer. Use feed store FT. Dodge electrolyte in the water. Some, get stressed, and some just don't have the will to forage and survive. Check for hot or cold spots. They need heat but need to be able to get away from it too. You probably know all this already, and your death loss so far is about par for the project. Even after you think your out of the woods, they will find stupid ways to die, here and there. But the big die in groups thing should peter out. Good Luck.
beaglebob1
New member
How big of an area do you have them in?
Small pools work good with a 250 watt red heat lamp.
Check for drafts and check temp. Use paper not wood chips.
chick aid is also a good ideal
FCSpringer
Moderator
Yes put a thermometer in there just under the heat lamp edge, not directly under the middle. Raise or lower it so it's right at a hundred. And when the temp changes you have to raise or lower or cover part of the box. Pain in the a^%, and thats why a thermostat is great. Chances are if they are way spread out from the Lamp, it is too hot, all piled directly under, too cold. They should move around the box all over paying little attention to where they are.
FCSpringer
Moderator
PS if you just toss a lamp up and expect a good result forget it. You really have to pay attention to the temp.
Watch the chicks for an hour or so, if the chicks are spreading their wings (like chickens in the sun) near the heat lamp they may be too hot, might want raise the lamp, this is the tricky part, be careful.
Make sure the day old chicks are quickly hydrated with some moisture. In the wild world of wild pheasant and quail, day old chicks eat juicy insects high in protein and made up of 50% water. So to rapidly increase their moisture intake try this.
In addition to the normal feeding and the placing of food on news paper as recommended by oldandnew. For the first four or five days, mix two cups of your 28% protein game or turkey starter with a cup or so of clean water. Mix it in a bowl into a texture of wet mixed pancake mix. Spread the mixture thinly across ten paper plates, place paper plate with the wet mix all around the brood pen or brood house to increase a greater number of chicks to quick access to moisture.. You are just trying to rapidly increase their water or moisture intake to prevent dehydration. Do this only for the first four or five days.
Wild quail and pheasant chicks instinctively pick at shining morning dew for water. So place marbles in the water trough, they will pick at it and get a drink of water.
Good luck, keep us posted.
Make sure the day old chicks are quickly hydrated with some moisture. In the wild world of wild pheasant and quail, day old chicks eat juicy insects high in protein and made up of 50% water. So to rapidly increase their moisture intake try this.
In addition to the normal feeding and the placing of food on news paper as recommended by oldandnew. For the first four or five days, mix two cups of your 28% protein game or turkey starter with a cup or so of clean water. Mix it in a bowl into a texture of wet mixed pancake mix. Spread the mixture thinly across ten paper plates, place paper plate with the wet mix all around the brood pen or brood house to increase a greater number of chicks to quick access to moisture.. You are just trying to rapidly increase their water or moisture intake to prevent dehydration. Do this only for the first four or five days.
Wild quail and pheasant chicks instinctively pick at shining morning dew for water. So place marbles in the water trough, they will pick at it and get a drink of water.
Good luck, keep us posted.
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bauerline
Well-known member
Thanks for the tips. I lost a few more birds today. When I watch the chicks it seems like to smaller birds age getting pecked at by bigger birds. I don't know why some of the chicks are different sizes now. I am feeding them game bird starter food and I have a few different waterers in the brooder with them. If I do this again next year I think the club will have to get a new heat source that can adjust the temp. on its own. I've been taking care of that on my own with moveing the lights.
You need to get something in there to pick at besides other birds. Alfalfa sprouts, cut clover in the yard, I have excellent results with chickweed, mealworms if you can get them, slice them up and let them have at it. You may need a bigger area as well, or two seperate areas to get the big ones away from the small ones. If they get any spot of blood on them anywhere, from pecking, but usually on the head or feet, get that bird out, or they will peck it to death. The fresh greens or mealworms,( walking protien), will help avoid this.
FCSpringer
Moderator
OK you guy's inspired me, can't beat em join em as they say, what the hell. I bought 125 birds today and grabbed some eggs. In just a couple hrs with the ones I picked up at the gals farm I have 193 eggs already today. Just from the hens I bought, I picked up 31 within an hour, so with 125 hens I should have the trays filled tomorrow or Monday. I got these all cleaned and sanitized ready to go. I am firing up my incubator tonight and filling it up on Tuesday. 380 eggs we'll see how this goes.
Thanks guy's you just prompted me to do more work.
Thanks guy's you just prompted me to do more work.
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bauerline
Well-known member
You're right, you do have some work ahead of you. Good luck and let us know how you are making out.
I put some clover in with the chicks today and they took right to pecking at it. I hope I don't lose too many more birds but it is a learning process. I think after this year I'll spend some time (and the clubs money) updating the brooder equipment. I thought of getting some feeder crickets from the pet store to put in with them to give the chicks something to chase around and peck at. Do you think it would be OK to do that?
I put some clover in with the chicks today and they took right to pecking at it. I hope I don't lose too many more birds but it is a learning process. I think after this year I'll spend some time (and the clubs money) updating the brooder equipment. I thought of getting some feeder crickets from the pet store to put in with them to give the chicks something to chase around and peck at. Do you think it would be OK to do that?
FCSpringer
Moderator
U could but they will down them in a hurry, so it depends on how spendy they are. Hang stuff in there that is chrome or shiny like small bells just at beek height. That and fresh greens will go a long ways. Fresh greens every day.
quail hound
Moderator
Oh the joy of chicks. They find every way possible to die, just keep at it and you'll figure out what works for you. If you really want some frustration get some chukar chicks, they really love to peck each other!
beaglebob1
New member
Watch over crowding and use amber red light. low light conditions seems to slow the cannibalism.
beaglebob1
New member
OK you guy's inspired me, can't beat em join em as they say, what the hell. I bought 125 birds today and grabbed some eggs. In just a couple hrs with the ones I picked up at the gals farm I have 193 eggs already today. Just from the hens I bought, I picked up 31 within an hour, so with 125 hens I should have the trays filled tomorrow or Monday. I got these all cleaned and sanitized ready to go. I am firing up my incubator tonight and filling it up on Tuesday. 380 eggs we'll see how this goes.
SWEET
:thumbsup: