[srtiels]

Roxy....I'm not sure what is happening. Can you go back a couple generations to find aout anything about their background. Keep in mind that even if they were bought from different people, who did those people get their birds from? There could be a possibilty that they might be related.

Aside from the above, I have learned that a vitamin E deficiency is the main cause for weak chicks. Grrrr...The USDA changed their site. But I found a link on it where you can see what foods (it's a human foods site, but many foods we give are birds would be listed) contain Vitamin E: http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=22114

 

[srtiels]

OK...from what I am learning Vit. E is a fat soluble nutrient that gets stored in the liver. Protiens and lipids are also formed in the liver and are then transported thru the bloodstream to the follicles in the ovary, which form yolk spheres and fluids with nutients.

You might go thru the breeding record list of nutrient deficiencies to research the nutrients in all foods given.

 

[srtiels]

Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E
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Yes, very true. And another point, it is the body fat that stores a reserve of the fat soluble nutients. If you have a breeding hen that does not have fat reserves (this does not mean an over-weight bird, but a bird deprived of foods containing fat sources in the diet) then when she needs to draw on these nutrients they are not there, thus it can have an impact on the egg or new hatchling.

 

[srtiels]

formula has vit e in it right? So by feeding it to the babies am I helping them at all?
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This is like closing the gate after the horse escaped. The deficiency affects the chick during development and prior to hatch. I have to check but it has to do with tissue and muscle, which would include organs in the growing body.

 

[srtiels]

A small pinch of garlic powder added to the formula would be a better source of the E because it also contains selenium that will help strength muscle tone after the fact.

 

[srtiels]

You know what I used to do years ago when I was studying and practicing natural and holistic routes for my birds. I would put a peeled clove/piece of garlic in the cage when I set them up. It is an excellent source of selenium, A,B,C and E which I thought at the time covered the bases if I was lacking in those nutrients. The birds that needed it would nibble on it, especially the hens prior to laying. After the babies hatched the parents would also take tiny nibbles the first week of life. Since it seemed to work well I started adding garlic powder to the formula of the babies I pulled for handfeeding.

 

[srtiels]

I've been adding the spice remedy to the formula when I feed it so that's gonna help right?

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yes...the spice remedy would work also In fact it was from my garlic venture with the parents that I came up with the Spice remedy.

 

[srtiels]

I can see their tummies move when I feed them, is that normal?
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Ok....while they are digesting there will be visible movement from two areas. At the base of the crop are muscles....these muscles will churn the food to deliver it into the proventriculus which is the opening to the digestive tract. OK, just below the ribs is a hard muscle, is the ventriculus, aka:gizzard , which further grinds and processes the food before it enters the intestines. It is the gizzard that gives the chick the bottom heavy look as the muscle developes and gets larger. As the baby gets older and grows into it's shape this muscle is smaller and less noticable.

 

[srtiels]

any particular reason why I've now had two chicks try to hatch before their yolk was absorbed? Maybe not enough humidity?
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Was the hatch date on time or was it early or late? What has the weather been like the last week before hatch?

 

[srtiels]

Yes....it will be interesting if they can tell something from the necropsy. Also bring a sample of the bedding just in case. I once had suspected the seed and a vet can send it for free analysis with USDA for any aflatoxins that may effect babies and not adults. This will rule out environmental related causes.

 

[srtiels]

Keep an eye on the yolk. The risk of it out is that it can burst and that would shock the system and kill the little one. The umbilical opening was too wide and must not have closed properly.

As a last resort you may have to tie it (I use dental floss) off. If you have any human antibiotics in pill form (or even bird meds, even liquid like baytril), what I have done is crush a 1/2 one into powder and coated with a fine dusting the area after I tied it off.