The toughest new addition to the Moody Gardens penguin exhibit has been named after the toughest athlete in the Houston area – Texans defensive star J.J. Watt.
Watt, a baby King Penguin who hatched earlier this month, suffered an injury shortly after breaking out of his shell. Under the care of Moody Gardens biologists, Watt proved he was one tough chick and made a quick recovery. He is back on exhibit, joining the nearly 100 penguins housed in the Aquarium Pyramid.
“The little chick braved through it all,” said Moody Gardens assistant curator Diane Olsen. “It was an injury we had to keep an eye on, and our staff did a good job taking care of it.”
Olsen said she’s not completely sure how Watt suffered the injury, a cut on his back, but said it was likely caused by a squabble between the parent and another penguin. Penguins are extremely protective of their young and will fight those that appear to be a threat to their chick.
Galveston veterinarian Dr. Richard Henderson closed the wound after Watt was injured. From there, Moody Gardens Vet Tech Karen Holcroft and the rest of the penguin biologists treated him until the injury was healed.
“You always have to be worried about infection and stuff,” Olsen said. “We cleaned the wound and weighed him twice a day. We watched it very carefully.”
J.J. Watt is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year and one of the most popular athletes in Houston. He was drafted by the Texans in 2011 out of Wisconsin, and quickly became known as one of the toughest players in the franchise’s history.
Olsen said that like all other chicks, the new King penguin will only be on exhibit with its parents for a limited time. Although adult penguins are expert swimmers, babies must be kept safely away from the exhibit waters until they become water savvy.
The gender of the young chick is still unknown because penguins are not sexually dimorphic, meaning it is impossible to tell male and female penguins apart based solely on looks. While away from the exhibit, blood tests will be done to determine the sex of the hatchling.
MOODY GARDENS KING PENGUIN HISTORY
King Penguins originally arrived in Galveston in 1998, when a group of staff members from the Aquarium at Moody Gardens joined biologists and other professionals from Chile, France and the United States on an expedition to South Georgia Island in the Antarctic to collect eggs. The eggs were gathered during the fall breeding season and then transported to Galveston and hatched prior to the opening of the Aquarium Pyramid in May 1999.
Moody Gardens has a successful breeding program, with 15 King Penguin chicks hatched since 2003. There has been a total six chicks hatched overall among the King, Gentoo and Chinstrap Penguins this breeding season. This is the first King to hatch this year.
Share this:
Baby Chicks By Mail in
Etlan, Virginia
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Etlan Virginia,
including Sussex Chickens, Welsummer Chickens, Turken Chickens and more.
Be sure to check out the Bargain Specials, as you can combine different
egg layers in smaller amounts and buy as an assortment. Etlan
Virginia also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Etlan Virginia, bantams for sale, ducks for sale, geese for sale,
turkeys for sale, guinea for sale, peafowl for sale, pheasant for sale,
chukar partridge for sale, bobwhite for sale, many different breeds of
baby chicks for sale in Etlan VA.
Baby Quail Chicks For
Sale in
Etlan, Virginia
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Etlan Virginia
catalog is a yearly traditions in many houses. My kids and I eagerly await
the Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog. We love looking at all the cool and
different chicken breeds available. Catalogs are free so head on over to
their site and request one if you are interested.
Typically hatcheries online offer both standard breeds
and bantams. Bantams are fun hardy little chickens, they lay tiny eggs
that kids especially love collecting. Bantams typically weigh less than 2
pounds when full grown. Just like ordering anything online there are pros
and cons to ordering baby chicks online. Pros of buying baby chicks in
Etlan Virginia * Big Selection - If you are wanting a large
variety of different chicken breeds and egg colors, you will find the best
selection at an online hatchery. * Both Bantams and full sized chickens
available * You get to choose what sex you want. If you want a mixture of
both male and female then choosing a "straight run" will save you money
and you will get a mixture of male and female chicks. You can also choose
all males or all females too. * Weekly specials. Hatcheries have sales on
chicks, you are likely to get a good deal if you are flexible with the
breeds you are wanting. Cons of buying baby chicks in Etlan
Virginia * Order early to get the best selection. Certain breeds sell
out fast, sometimes as early as 6 months in advance of shipping! If you
are wanting a certain breed it's best to order your chicks in the fall
before their orders sell out.
Raising Baby Chickens in
Etlan, Virginia
Quantity - you must order a certain number of chicks. Typically hatcheries
will require you buy a minimum of 25 chicks at a time. The number is
necessary for the chicks survival during shipping. All 25 chicks are put
in one small box without heat. They are crowded in the box and produce
enough body heat to arrive in good shape. * The wait - If you choose to
buy chicks from a feed store you will have them the same day but if you
choose to go with a hatchery you have to wait until they are ready to ship
and then wait for the chicks to arrive. Ordering baby chicks online in
Etlan Virginia is easy and has always been a very pleasant
experience of me. It can be a little frustrating waiting for the chicks
but it's so worth the wait. When the post office calls and you hear all
those little "cheeps" or "chirps" in the background you'll know the wait
was worth it! How to Care for your new baby chickens in Etlan,
Virginia Baby chicks are extremely
charming as well as
hard to stand up to,
but it's best to plan for their
arrival before you get them. Prepare first
by compiling not just the
correct materials, however
also the appropriate
understanding to take care of
them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably
basic, you just need
to provide them with the following: A
clean and also cozy
environment Lots of food and water Focus and
love Habitat Your habitat can be an easy box, aquarium,
pet cat provider, or guinea
porker cage. Line it with old towels and also
coverings (with no loose
strings!) to start, as well as after a
couple of weeks make use of straw over paper.
Note: Avoid utilizing only
paper or other sandal
surface areas-- or your chicks legs could grow
misshapen. You also need
something to serve up food and also
water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water
meal from the feed shop, or a pickle jar
cover for food and also a pet dog bird water dispenser from a pet shop. Likewise, as the chicks get
older you could present a perch
right into the habitat to obtain them
educated on perching. Warmth To
keep your chicks heat you need to
provide them with a warmth source.
This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile warmth
bulb likewise work effectively (my
referral). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
replaced with feathers (which could take up to two months). The recently
hatched out require a temperature level
in between 90 and 100 degrees,
as well as each week this could
be decreased by
around 5 levels approximately. The warmth resource must be on just one side of the cage
to allow chicks a range of
temperatures. The chicks are your finest
thermometer- if they are concealing in the
other edge of your warmth
lamp, you have to
minimize the temperature. If
they are smothering each various other under the
warmth (not merely snuggling),
you should add some heat.
Housekeeping
Sanitation is vital and it keeps your chicks healthy. Be sure to transform
the bed linens
usually as well as
always provide tidy
food as well as water Food and also water.
Chicks grow very quickly
which calls for a lot of tidy
food and water. Give
sufficient at all times and inspect
typically to prevent dehydrated and also
hungry chicks. Chick food is different than adult chicken food, as well as it can be found in both medicated and non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the
initial 2 months, then
switch over to a grower food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for another 2 months,
and afterwards to a somewhat
lower protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have levels). Soil Some chicks like to obtain a running start on taking
dirt baths, while others won't take
up that task till they are
older. If you have the area in your chick
room, present a tray of sand or
filth for them to wash in.
Focus and also love There are a
few benefits to hanging
out with your chicks. To start
with, they will more than likely bond with you and
not flee as adults. Second, if you
examine your chicks daily and also
see their behavior, you can
capture ailment or various
other issues earlier. Keep an
eye out for hissing, limping, or
various other unhealthy
signs. Make sure to
additionally look at
their poop, as diarrhea can cause matted plumes and also stopped up cloaca.
Finally, it is necessary to keep an eye out for social concerns, such as the
tiniest chick obtaining badgered. Vacant nest disorder So your
chicks are currently fully feathered
as well as its time for them to leave the
safety and security of your home
as well as move outside right into a cage. Look into our
area on chicken coops to get more information
regarding cages and also
proper cage habitats.
Baby Chicks Not EatingBaby Chickens Coop More Posts Baby Chickens for Sale in Ceres, Virginia Baby Chickens for Sale in Draper, Virginia Baby Chickens for Sale in Barhamsville, Virginia Baby Chickens for Sale in Banco, Virginia Baby Chickens for Sale in Broadway, Virginia