2 dead chicks...no apparent reason

[Minky]

I picked up my 25 meat chicks on Wed afternoon.
There were 27 of them- two bonus chicks, I guess.
I am using the Mama Heating Pad method in my brooder.
On thursday morning- everyone ok.
11 am -all ok.
2 pm- one dead chick laying dead under MHP.
Friday all good.
Saturday morning everyone good.
11 am still good.
2 pm good
4pm another dead chick laying under MHP.

Whats going on? Can you help? No one seems sick or struggling- they are booting around like crazy. Tons of space, heating pad is on one end of brooder. Good ventilation, food, lots of fresh water. shavings are about 2 inches deep.

Im at a loss. Is it possible they over heated and were too dumb to get out from under the MHP?

 

[sawilliams]

Some chicks are just duds, they will fail to thrive and ususlly die with in the first few days. The stress of shipping and moving adds to this. Make sure they are getting save a chick or other vitimans in thier water

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I'm in agreement with sawilliams above that there are almost a few losses which meat chicks. Do keep an eye for pasty butt though, I handle all my chicks every day for the first three or four days and look for any that have poop crusted over their vents. Stress and dehydration can cause this to happen and if it does, they can't poop and they will die. Once I haven't had any cases for about two or three days I stop checking.

If they do have poop crusted over their vents you need to carefully soak their little back ends in warm water and soften the poop and remove it, drying them as best you can and then getting them back in the heat to finish drying off.

 

[Mraya]

What are you using as bedding? One of my chicks choked on a piece of pine shavings I use for bedding.

 

[Compost King]

I had pastey butt for the first this year.... no silly, not me! one of my brooders had the issue, just one batch of chicks I got from TSC. Assorted bantams. Never saw this problem before. I spent every night cleaning up their dingleberries but one would be dead by morning for 4 straight mornings. I would clean them out during the day too. I used electrolytes and the problem was solved. Not sure if that solved it or something else did but its the only action I took.

 

[Minky]

Thanks for all the tips.

I have been doing daily butt checks. I have the cleanest butt record ever! not one dirty butt in 6 days now.

I am using shavings. I think is mustve been over heating due to dumb bird being under heat when everyone else was by the fan....? or they were just duds/weak ones...

 

[Mraya]

Thanks for all the tips.

I have been doing daily butt checks. I have the cleanest butt record ever! not one dirty butt in 6 days now.

I am using shavings. I think is mustve been over heating due to dumb bird being under heat when everyone else was by the fan....? or they were just duds/weak ones...

Yes there is something to be said about "survival of the smartest"
Sorry for your loss.

 

[Northern.Ontario]

Thanks for all the tips.

I have been doing daily butt checks. I have the cleanest butt record ever! not one dirty butt in 6 days now.

I am using shavings. I think is mustve been over heating due to dumb bird being under heat when everyone else was by the fan....? or they were just duds/weak ones...

What hatchery did you purchase from? Looks like you're in Ontario, same as me.

 

[Minky]

I think it was Mill Pond.

 

[Northern.Ontario]

I think it was Mill Pond.

All Cornish cross? I'm getting mine from Frey's hatchery in May.