2 month old chicks dying

[montanamama]

We received our chicks in mid december and began raising them in our house laundry room. My husband built a nice cage and we got an artificial brooder. We have been ffeding them crumbles and all 13 have looked healthy and strong. A couple had some missing feathers but we didn't think anything of it. In the past 3 days we have lost a chick a day. We are down to 10 chicks and not sure what it going on. We cleaned the entire cage and now have them on tetracycline. They all are active and eating and drinking. What is going on? Any ideas?

 

[silkiechicken]

Antibiotics are only going to help if a bacteria is the source of your issues. Otherwise, they can hide the real issue or knock off the good bacteria they have.

That said, are they still in a brooder at 2 months old? Are they too cramped? Missing feathers at 2 months old often says too crowded of conditions and they are taking it out on each other with picking, stomping, fighting.

Don't know where you live, but more info on their living situation may be helpful. If they have not been outside, they probably do not have a parasite issue. Pics may also help.