High fatality rate - help! Is it the feeder or the milk or the amount?

[stevodod]

Cornish crosses are more prone to get cold than most chickens due to the lack of feathering. They love sleeping under the lights. ALWAYS keep them separate at night from your regular flock. I can't even imagine giving my birds sour milk- what is the point? What is the benefit? Are you increasing health, or cutting corners on feed to just fill the bellies? What are your temps at outside at night? Do they have proper ventilation? Access to water at night?

 

[happydog]

wow, I never thought of them getting cold at night. I've always read they don't need heat lights after they feather out. But that does make sense, seeing as how they have a lot of exposed skin. Maybe they're stressed from being chilled. The problem is some days are hot, some days are cool. How the heck do you know if they're stressed from being hot or stressed from being cold? Sheesh, this has suddenly become complicated. Spring weather can swing wildly. We've had a couple days in the nineties already and some days are drizzly and cold.

I feed milk because I have milk cows and lots of milk to go around. Everything I've read says that raw milk contains a lot of probiotics and is healthy for chickens. It serves much the same purpose as adding acv to their water or fermenting their feed. I've always fed my chickens clabbered milk and never had a problem till now. Which is why I don't really think it's the milk. Though I'm certainly open to being proven wrong.

They're in a barn stall. Very good ventilation. Maybe it's too good. I'll put the heat lamp back on at night and see if that helps. They have water 24/7. I took the food out last night and they certainly seemed more vigorous this morning. They mobbed me like they were starving to death.

 

[happydog]

Thank you guys for all the help. I keep going over and over in my mind - what am I doing differently this year? I think the main thing is I've been letting them eat all they want. I think that's where I went wrong. I've been overfeeding them.

I hardly lost any out of my last two batches. Twice a day I would put the feed in, let them eat for a half hour, then take the feed out. I think I need to go back to that. I think that's my answer. The heat lamp is a good idea and I'm going to do that too.

Every year I learn a hard lesson. One year I tried to let them free range and that was a bad idea. I lost one when I accidently stepped on it. I lost one when an empty feed pan flipped over on him and he couldn't get out. Last year I went big and got 50. I raised them without incident, got them all processed successfully and resting in the barn fridge. I was so proud of myself. Until I pulled the last 8 out of the fridge to can them and they smelled bad and I realized the thermostat was set too high and I had to throw out the last eight.
I feel like I've made every mistake in the book.

 

[BCMaraniac]

Thank you guys for all the help. I keep going over and over in my mind - what am I doing differently this year? I think the main thing is I've been letting them eat all they want. I think that's where I went wrong. I've been overfeeding them.

I hardly lost any out of my last two batches. Twice a day I would put the feed in, let them eat for a half hour, then take the feed out. I think I need to go back to that. I think that's my answer. The heat lamp is a good idea and I'm going to do that too.

Every year I learn a hard lesson. One year I tried to let them free range and that was a bad idea. I lost one when I accidently stepped on it. I lost one when an empty feed pan flipped over on him and he couldn't get out. Last year I went big and got 50. I raised them without incident, got them all processed successfully and resting in the barn fridge. I was so proud of myself. Until I pulled the last 8 out of the fridge to can them and they smelled bad and I realized the thermostat was set too high and I had to throw out the last eight.
I feel like I've made every mistake in the book.

How are they doing?? Hopefully no news is good news.

 

[David A]

A couple questions; Did you give them any fermented food? Their digestive system needs kick start. I had several panting, got the peep electrolytes on them again, then fermented food and it stopped. The runs were dehydrating them. Fermented food will eliminate all the loose bowels by giving them enzymes. I do not like the idea of milk for chickens. Also, did they have Mareks shots? Between broods, did you sanitize their living quarters? Other than that, constant temperatures, high protein first 2-3 weeks and lots of clean water I do not know. I leave a children's night light on, they will get up at night just to drink. My 3 week old 17 birds drink probably 2-4 gallons a day.

 

[happydog]

They're doing fine now. I was overfeeding them by leaving the feed out for them 24/7. Once I quit doing that and went back to feeding them twice a day, they quit dying.

I don't give them Mareks shots. I don't sanitize. They live in a barn stall. It's crawling with germs. In fact, this whole farm is chock full of dirt and manure. My five year old picks up cow pies to see what's living under them.

Constant temperatures are problematic because they live in a barn. It gets cool at night and warm in the sun. They get plenty of protein, enzymes, and clean water though. I ferment the milk that I soak their grain in.

It's amazing how well they bounced back, once I stopped overfeeding them. I had great success raising Cornish X the previous two years. I guess I got complacent, thinking I knew what I was doing. I should have refreshed my memory by coming on here and reading the how-tos before my chicks arrived.

We'll be butchering these this weekend. Thanks for all the suggestions, I really appreciate it.

 

[stevodod]

Glad to hear they are doing better. Yeah, sounds like you straightened the ship. I make mine run around a bit and forage throughout the day too, and they seem to do great. Picked up 2 rescues last week with horrible butt sores from sitting around- in a week they are better and one week away from my knife!!!!

Yum!