2 month old chicks pilling on top of each other

[yvdbrink]

Help

I have sal sex link pullets that are two months old and they have started pilling on top of one another and the ones on the bottom die. What causes this and how do I prevent it?

HELP!!

 

[ebonykawai]

We need way more information.

Where are they? Does this only happen at night? Do you have any heat for them? What are the temps in their coop? How many are there?

 

[yvdbrink]

I had 101,

They live in a barn open and vented, outside temp ranges from 6 to 15 C

It happens at different time yesterday was in afternoon and today was in the morning after checking on them first thing this morning.

They have lots of room yesterday it happenned in the corner so we put cardboard around the corners so they could not pilly on top of one another but they did this morning.

During the day they have light from the outside.

The chicks make a funny noise and then pilly on top of one another.

Thanks

 

[ebonykawai]

That's sort of odd during the day. Could they be too cold or drafty? I'm not sure, I was thinking it was probably happening at night. It's common then.

 

[yvdbrink]

I do not believe that there is any draft. It happen last year too around the same time in age. We have raised chick for the last 15 years and last year was the first time and this time we have them in a different barn - lots of space - no corners and roost. Any other ideas would be great.

Thanks

 

[Chirpy]

Is it possible that something is scaring them? Thus, they all dash to the corner and pile up?

Is there anyway for you to separate them into smaller groups so there aren't so many to pile on top of?

You did the right thing by putting the cardboard in the corners to round them out.

The temperature is a little cool for them at eight weeks old, so it's possible that they are cold and trying to get warmed up. This might be especially true since they are outside in a potentially drafty barn. If you have a heat lamp I would at least try putting it up for them and see if that does anything to stop this behavior.

 

[ebonykawai]

Perhaps you can cut the space down, then? Mine freaked out a little when they went to our coop, so I made them a sectioned off corner to sleep in. Maybe too much open space is making them fearful. Piling is usually a cold or a fear thing.

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

You said you haven't had this problem until you started raising them in this barn.
Look at what is different from this barn than the one you used to use. Try to re-create the same conditions in this barn.

It sounds like they are cold and scared. First, block off any drafts that are within 2 feet of the ground. Try putting a light out there for them. If they still pile up, then you will need to put extra heat out there for them.

Jean