Chicks keep dying!

[newchickmom87]

So I got 13 Cornish cross' and they're a week old today. And I've already lost 3! I need help cus I'd really like not to lose anymore. I know they're a hard breed to keep all alive but any help would be greatly appreciated. They're on 20% chick starter and I've added a special vitamin additive meant for meat chicks. They're in a wooden box I made in the garage and the current temp is 90-95. The get fresh food & water daily and fresh bedding twice a week. They only really eat and sleep I've noticed. Many of them will fall asleep with heads resting on the feeder. No signs of pasty but or bloody stool. Poop has been light brownish red and runny but not always. Many are formed. The first died at 3 days old, second 5 days, and final one today at 7 days.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi

Sorry to hear of your losses. I don't have any experience of meat birds but I think it would help people reading this if you give more information about your brooder set up and the symptoms the chicks are exhibiting before they die. Are they piling on each other to sleep and perhaps suffocating some. Could they be over heating? Any sign of pasty butt? Have you noticed any abnormal poops? How old were they when you started losing them? Could some have been suffering from shipping stress? Are they all eating and drinking?
Sorry, lots of questions, but without knowing more information, it could be any number of things causing them to die.

 

[newchickmom87]

They're in a wooden box I made in the garage and the current temp is 90-95. The get fresh food & water daily and fresh bedding twice a week. They only really eat and sleep I've noticed. Many of them will fall asleep with heads resting on the feeder. No signs of pasty but or bloody stool. Poop has been light brownish red and runny but not always. Many are formed. The first died at 3 days old, second 5 days, and final one today at 7 days

 

[rebrascora]

Is there a cooler part to the brooder where they can get away from the heat. It is possible that they are overheating if the whole brooder is that temperature?

Did you notice any symptoms before they died?

Is the chick crumb medicated?

 

[newchickmom87]

Is there a cooler part to the brooder where they can get away from the heat. It is possible that they are overheating if the whole brooder is that temperature?

Did you notice any symptoms before they died? 

Is the chick crumb medicated?

No it's not medicated. Should it be?? And yea there's a cooler area

 

[rebrascora]

I'm not sure with meat birds. I believe there is a withdrawal period for anti coccidiostats (the medication used in the feed) of about 4 weeks and you butcher at 8-10 weeks for Cornish cross, so perhaps it's best not to use medicated feed for them but I would have thought that they might be more prone to coccidiosis because of their breeding and lifestyle. Hopefully someone with experience of meat birds will be along soon to advise. I butcher my excess cockerels but they are broody reared farmyard mutts and not prone to all the health problems Cornish cross seem to be, so I'm just trying to figure out possible causes from my own limited knowledge.