Am I doing something wrong here?

[steveo]

I started out with 26 cornish x and they are about 6 weeks old. I had 5 die up to this point and the rest looked really good. This morning I have another one dead and it looks like it was trampled. There was actually still birds on top of it this morning.

Should I be putting heat in my tractor? It was in the 30's here last night. The birds are fully feathered so I figured they could handle the cold. Maybe this is my problem?

 

[yotetrapper]

Sounds like it might be the cold. If they are cold and piling up that could be how he got trampled.

 

[toletiquesbysam]

I'd put a heat lamp in there for sure, that is very cold temps. I thought it needed to be around 70 for 5-6weeks fully feathered to be ok to go out in.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Yes, they're cold if they are piling up like that.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

They are probably not dying FROM the cold, but as a result of the pileup of chicken bodies trying to keep warm RESULTING in the death of birds. Hope that is not too confusing.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Quote:
Correct.

 

[steveo]

I had one more bird that was really lame laying with its eyes closed barely breathing. I think this might be something more than the cold so I called around for advice from some places that test birds.

I just culled the bird that was not moving and am packing it up to be tested at the University of Maine Animal Health Lab. They think this could be something more than the cold too. I will be putting a light out for heat tonight just in case. I want to make sure that I do not process and eat sick birds. Better safe than sorry.

These are turning out to be some really expensive meals.

 

[SpringChickens]

Also, at 6 weeks, it could have easily been a heart attack. Keep light on them to be safe, but he could have happened to have had a heart attack in the middle of the night.

What color was his comb? I think they turn purple if they have a heart attack, but someone may correct me on that??

 

[steveo]

Quote:
I think his comb was still red but not sure, the last one that died is in the freezer and will be getting shipped to the lab at the end of the day. I am assuming they will be able to tell me if it was a heart attack. I hope there not having heart attacks because they still have about 3 weeks to go before my earliest appointment at the processor.

 

[SpringChickens]

hmmm.. I don't know. There's always the axe hehehe