Babies dying at 2-3 weeks of age, weird!

dublin_101 · Regular Member Joined: Jan 14, 2014 Posts: 16

Hi,

I have two pairs in separate aviaries, both on eggs, both hatched.

Have had issues with both clutches, makes me depressed, the babies survived the challenging period (First few days), but then I've had two in each nest die at around 2-3 weeks of age. So only a couple in each nest have survived now.

I'm baffled as to how and am slightly upset with myself, but I'm unable to figure out why they are able to die at that age. No signs of violence, all have had a full crop when I've found them lifeless in the middle of the nest.

The weather is warm, not too hot but not cold, mid 20s, etc.

Is this a common thing to happen ? Could it be diet, oxygen, other?

I feed my birds a lot of seed, fruit and vegeables, and water the same.

Steptoe · Site Admin Joined: Oct 06, 2004 Posts: 4550

Diet can be an issue espec if lacking in protein...
The other could be if parents / female has come from hand raised stock...
Or if 1st time parents
and owner tends to get over enthusiastic on checking all the time.
We may have a look when eggs are being laid.. if the hen is out of the nest.
From then its rare to see the hen out....
Around the time she is ready to go to the 2nd nest box , she is out more often for short periods... check... and chicks at this point have good feather colour....
Otherwise leave them to it...
But Protein, calcium...in our case it is chopped up left over chicken carcasses / bones/ cartilage... left over casserole meat, BBQ meat diced up, lamb bones...
In nature is high protein grubs, lava even fish, insects on the foreshore.