Two meat birds died at three weeks

[armadamork]

This is my second time raising meat birds. The first time I had 13 and one died on the third day. It looked sick from day 1 so it didn't suprise me. All other 12 went 8 went perfectly. This year I got 24, and today I found two dead when I came home from work. They had plenty of water and food and seemed healthy. Is there anything I should do for the others? I would hate to lose all my birds. Any other words of wisdom or thoughts?

 

[Dogfish]

Are you feeding 24 hours a day? If so, cut back to 12 on, 12 off. (Pull feed at night) I had a few deaths earlier this week, switched feeding regimine and the deaths stopped.

Other things to look at is are they too crammed into their brooder? How many birds in how many square feet?

Size of dead birds? Were they the runts?

 

[armadamork]

Birds seems like they were average. Brooder is 6x4 so shouln't be a factor with birds at this size. I was feeding 24/7 but stopped yesterday. I am still using a heat lamp in one very end of the brooder and starting today it is going to be turned off during the day. It got down to 35 yesterday morning! Most of the birds are 30-40% fearthered so I was hoping to keep them indoors another week or two before letting them out into their outside coop/run.

 

[TeriS]

I started w/ 25 on 4-1-11 and at 3 weeks, 1 broke it's leg, and last night (about 5 weeks), I came home from work and found 1 dead on it's back. It was still warm, so we cleaned it. We have been feeding 12 on/ 12 off. For the last few days, 1 had been breathing hard and cheeping when it breathed. Do you think it had a heart attack? We have an appointment to process them on the 20th of this month. This is our first attempt at cornish hens.

 

[armadamork]

When you say you cleaned it do you mean processed it? I would be careful about eating anything I personally didn't kill or take in. You never know what happen. I know it stinks when you get close but I would be soo nervous.

 

[TeriS]

Yes, we processed it- we were planning on eating it tonight, but you say maybe we shouldn't? Could it possibly have died from anything else other than a heart attack? What are other's thoughts? It was still warm and rigor hadn't set in so I assumed it was ok to eat.

 

[Matrix Escapee]

You have to appreciate how easy it is for them to pile up for various reasons, and sometimes an unlucky chick is the one on the bottom of the pile. They either get smothered or suffocated and trampled.

Mine all run to one end of my brooder if a sudden loud noise occurs. Luckily they seem to avoid smothering so far. Unfortunately, you are always gonna lose some. One every so often is not a cause for major concern, not that we want to lose any. I would start to worry if I started losing 2 or 5 or more at a time, and for days in a row.

 

[armadamork]

Thanks for the responses. So far so good. I am feeding 12 on 12 off and have turned off the heat lamp. Everything seem to be good.

 

[burroak]

Our first time raising Cornish cross as well. We did not choose to feed medicated feed and have started loosing birds once they went out on pasture. Turns out we have an outbreak of Coccidiosis. Shortly before the sick birds die the seem to be panting or breathing hard. Are your birds showing any bloody or loose tan stool? Will be starting treatment of mine in the morning.

 

[Saltysteele]

Quote:
this is what i was going to suggest checking into. if so, expect more to come. i have been told (by a gal in touch with an agricultural person at the state university) meaties need to be fed medicated feed to prevent cocci. yes, you may do it without and be successful. me? these dudes are eating too much and pooping to much to take a chance on wasting my cash for them and their food