11 days old chicks dying left and right!

[the becks]

Brand new to chicken raising, so everyone be patient with me! Ok, from the beginning ... ordered 25 chicks from McMurray they arrived 2-09-2010. 2 were DOA. They were doing fine for a few days and now I am down to *gasp* SIX!!!!! Only six little babies left out of 25. I have no idea what is going on. Last night we lost another and it was somewhat sudden. I have been scouring the interent to find out different things to do and what diseases they might have but I am just getting confused even more .... HELP!

They are currently residing in my bathroom with a heat lamp. They do have access to water and feed all day. When able to I come home at lunch and check on them. They have a little "roost" to hop on and play with. Temp stays around 95-100. I tried to lower the temp like it says to but they seemed to act very cold so I bumped it back up.

The chicks that passed would huddle, mostly in the corners. They would be very lethargic. Mostly would stand still and then "rock" themselves to sleep (or it looked like they did). Most have pasty butt. I have to clean them almost everyday. Poo is sometimes watery but mostly "normal" I have seen one or two throwup? (I was told that is normal Is it?) Eyes are clear but closed. No runny nose or discharge. The one that died last night would not chirp. It was like it had lost its voice. Breathing is fast. One chick will NOT stop chirping. It kind of feels like a few of their bellies are bloated but i could be wrong and just jumping to conclusions. It seems like they are eating and drinking ok. They are not doing any excessive pecking.

Eating Dumor Chick Feed. Vaccinated from the hatchery. Drank quickchick and broiler booster as recommended.

I tried to included everything I could think would be relevant. Someone please help me! I am so worried I am going to lose my last 6 babies! I want to get them better before the hatchery sends the replacement set in a few weeks. I welcome any and all suggestions!
Thanks in advance!

 

[Katy]

My first thought is they're too hot. You say they were huddling in the corners....is that as far away from the heat as they could get?

What kind of bedding are you using?

 

[AHappychick]

ok so you have had them dying for 11 days? I dont know about the booster stuff but I would just do regular started feed and water. Stess in shipping can cause a few losses for days but usually stops after day 5. when you wash their buts do you dry them off? what kind of shavings are they on is it cedar? if so it needs to be pine cedar is bad for respiritory system.

yes are they running around or staying away from the heat? 100 is too hot for 11 days old

 

[the becks]

Quote:
NO. Well, I don't think so. The lamp covers most of the area that they are in. They huddled in the outermost part of the pen. And I am using wood chip bedding.

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:
NO. Well, I don't think so. The lamp covers most of the area that they are in. They huddled in the outermost part of the pen. And I am using wood chip bedding.

if they are huddled away from heat they are to hot you want it so they are walking around. under lamp. make it 90 degrees in there and see how that goes

 

[the becks]

Quote:
Yup. I give them a nice little fluff with the blow dryer to dry the behinds off before they go back. The bedding is white pine chips multiscreen to remove dust ........

 

[Katy]

Quote:
NO. Well, I don't think so. The lamp covers most of the area that they are in. They huddled in the outermost part of the pen. And I am using wood chip bedding.

They need an area that they can get away from the heat. If the lamp covers the whole area of the brooder that's not good.

What kind of wood chips? Pine is fine, but cedar will kill them.

 

[LittleFeat]

Sorry can't help but just really sorry you're having this happen. It's just awful to just get started and have the problems you're having. Hopefully you'll get some answers soon.

 

[the becks]

Quote:
NO. Well, I don't think so. The lamp covers most of the area that they are in. They huddled in the outermost part of the pen. And I am using wood chip bedding.

They need an area that they can get away from the heat. If the lamp covers the whole area of the brooder that's not good.

What kind of wood chips? Pine is fine, but cedar will kill them.

I tried to make it cooler (dropping the temp 5 degrees and all) and hand the lamp in a diff position and they acted as though they were cold so I moved everything back to how i had it before.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
They need an area that they can get away from the heat. If the lamp covers the whole area of the brooder that's not good.

What kind of wood chips? Pine is fine, but cedar will kill them.

I tried to make it cooler (dropping the temp 5 degrees and all) and hand the lamp in a diff position and they acted as though they were cold so I moved everything back to how i had it before.

How did they act that you thought they were cold? What kind of brooder are they in?