week old chicks dying one by one

[mandarin1]

They have a plastic waterer from the feed store, it's white plastic with a red bottom that screws on and I have marbles in the bottom, so I don't think it's an issue of drowning. The heat lamp is just a clear one, not the red light. I moved my heat lamp up to see if this helps and they are starting to huddle underneath the lamp. The shavings are large pine shavings and they smell like fresh wood, I got them at my local rural king and this is what they also have in their brooders. I will try the nutri-drench and get rid of the electrolytes, but should I still treat for cocci with the sulmet or will the nutri-drench and the sulmet be too much?

 

[junebuggena]

They have a plastic waterer from the feed store, it's white plastic with a red bottom that screws on and I have marbles in the bottom, so I don't think it's an issue of drowning. The heat lamp is just a clear one, not the red light. I moved my heat lamp up to see if this helps and they are starting to huddle underneath the lamp. The shavings are large pine shavings and they smell like fresh wood, I got them at my local rural king and this is what they also have in their brooders. I will try the nutri-drench and get rid of the electrolytes, but should I still treat for cocci with the sulmet or will the nutri-drench and the sulmet be too much?

If the brooder isn't large enough, raising the heat lamp may not help.
You may want to check this alternative to brooding with heat lamps.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

 

[mandarin1]

Thank you for the link, I will definitely look into it.

 

[mandarin1]

Ive been watching them and I noticed one pecking at some tiny slivers of pine shavings, could this be what is causing this and why the one chick is gasping for air because maybe it's got pine shavings stuck? They are large shavings and I haven't ever had this problem before, but I'm looking for all possibilities.

 

[junebuggena]

I've used shavings for every batch of chick I've hatched and brooded. I have never had a chick die from pecking at shavings.

 

[azygous]

Unlikely. If shavings being consumed and impacting the crops were happening, the chicks would not be pooping, and you would see swollen, over-sized crops.

But chicks, while they do consume some shavings, generally drink plenty of water, and it flushes it through their systems.

 

[WoodEnterprises]

Also, if they don't seem to show any symptoms of fluffed up feathers/ sleepiness then I doubt its coccidiosis.

 

[WoodEnterprises]

The gasping for air and such sounds like they can't swallow their food.

 

[fluffbottom]

Treat with videos. My last hatch ended with three beautiful babies getting cocci. They came in contact with chicks I had gotten a TSC that was already infected with it.

 

[fluffbottom]

Treat for cocci. I had three last hatch come in contact with my TSC chicks that where infected with it without knowing it. Corid is what cured my bunch dollar tree electrolytes mixed in.