They are dropping like flies

[ginmarie84]

I so wish I had a way of posting a picture as you have suggested. I feel like if you could see it maybe you could tell me what I am doing wrong. I feel so negligent. Before I decided to do this I watched a ton of youtube videos, read blogs, ask.com... it seemed so simple. My sister assured me it was little effort and a lot of fun. she used a cardboard box and piano light! Here I've gone to a lot more effort and cost and I am failing. I will heed all of you guys' advice. Yes, I am using a feeder from my brothers garage sale. I ask my husband to build me a wooden and wire brooder asap. In the mean time I have added more vent holes in addition to the lid being the original plastic snap-on lid with all but the perimeter cut out and replaced with wire so it can be fitted and locked on (we have cats). I also wiped EVERYTHING down with vinegar when I cleaned it this evening. In addition I added a little apple cider vinegar to their water as suggested. I do thank you all for your help I know it wasn't easy without pictures and with my difficulty being descriptive. I just adore my ladies and will try all your suggestions. Does it make much difference in the mortality risk to have spring chicks as apposed to this late in the year? Maybe by spring I will have forgotten all the stress and heartache and be ready to try again. Thanks so much!

 

[enola]

You are not using a teflon coated light bulb are you?

 

[ginmarie84]

I wasn't sure what a Teflon coated bulb was so I had to do a quick google and look for the box and nope. It isn't. whew! I'm glad its not but i sorta wish it were. I could easily remedy that and make the nightmare stop. thanks for the suggestion I learned something new.

 

[Peeps61]

Hi Ginmarie,

I am not a big expert on this, but I have successfully brooded 2 separate batches of chicks with no deaths. I used a cardboard box the first time, and as they grew, I added other boxes in a kind of "condo" until the were big enough to go out into the chicken tractor. My latest batch were placed in a dog crate with pine shavings and the heat lamp was outside the crate pointed in to the front corner. There was plenty of ventilation. When they were too big for the crate, they moved to a large refrigerator box we had in our barn, and then to the tractor when they were fully feathered and big enough. I really think the plastic tub may be what's poisoning them. If they were older, it might not be as big of a deal, but as small as day old chicks are, it doesn't take much to affect them. JMHO! Good luck! Don't give up, they really are a lot of fun.

 

[iwiw60]

How's it going this morning???

 

[Spitzboyz]

I also have brooded a few batches of chicks with great success. I always used a cardboard box with the top completely open for ventilation. I thought about using the dog carrier or plastic tub method but I have not heard of good success with it. In my opinion the plastic heats up too much and does not allow for proper heat loss. What I found is that the cardboard allows the heat to dissipate much better where it does raise the temperature for the chicks significantly. Heat can kill! Look at it this way, if I put you in a plastic container with a heat bulb and little ventilation, how would you do? I can't theorize too much on your method since I don't have pictures. I have to take my best guess and say don't use it, use a cardboard box instead. If you are worried about the cats then place a chicken wire top on the box to keep them kitty's out! Can't blame them for being curious!

On a side note: Have you been wiping their little butts to prevent pasty butt? ACV will help prevent this!

Use a thermometer to check the temp in the box also. Hope this all helps! I hope the best for you and your little ones!


My recent brood. I put them in the coop and used a heat bulb in the center. It was around 50 degrees when I did this and they thrived! They could run in and out of the heat as needed.

 

[donrae]

They're up to 4 weeks old, and still in a rubbermaid tote for a brooder? I'm thinking that's the issue right there, they're overheated. Personally, I think totes are the devil if you have more than say 4 chicks, and even then past the first weeks. They're just too small, they hold the heat too much and the chicks can't escape the heat. At 4 weeks they should be spending the majority of the day at ambient temperature, only using some supplemental heating at night.

 

[Foghornnmsprisy]

I've had many different species kept in the house. I would suggest getting them out of the plastic box. Try to find an old dog kennel on craigs list. Fresh air is pet keeping 101. If there is something disease wise going on with them I would find out what it is before bringing in new babies.

 

[HugHess]

(And) please make sure the ACV has The Mother on the label. And make sure their water supply isn't in a galvanized container as the ACV and galvanized waterers do NOT get along....

 

[HugHess]

"If there is something disease wise going on with them I would find out what it is before bringing in new babies".....from Foghornnmsprisy

X2...Spot on!