My second lot of baby chicks (first are now 9 months) arrived yesterday from McMurray. RR, Araucanas, Buff Orp, and Barred Rocks. 13 in total. All seemed well yesterday - eating and drinking water with a bit of electrolytes. They are vaccinated, and on non-medicated chick food w/ a sprinkle of grit. Brooder is a dog cage outside, w/ shavings, paper towels, red heat light, draft barrier. That's the background info. This morn, I went in and one buff didn't get up like all the others. I brought her inside - she was listless and opening and closing her mouth. I held her for 3 hours, giving her water with electrolytes and an ever so tiny amount of sugar and yogurt with a dropper. She passed away peacefully in my hands. Now, there is another chick who, although not in the state of the buff, is not looking so hot. Listless and sleepy. I've been dipping her beak and she'll drink when I do that, and she pecked a few crumbs of food, but otherwise she is just standing there. Oh - the first chick that died, when I gave her the water, she immediately pooped out a very runny water like frothy poop. The other chicks' (all of them) look watery, too. I really don't know what to do. I don't want to mess up their little bodies by doing anything wrong. Should I continue the electrolytes? Add anything else? Feed them anything - scrambled egg, oats, yogurt? Help! My head is swimming with reading different posts, and I just don't know what to do. I didn't lose any of my first bunch of chicks, and I'm doing exactly the same things. Also, their butts aren't pasty - I've been checking carefully. Please - I need advice quickly!!
