3 day old chicks dying - *update - last chick improving!!*

[OCchickens]

We had 3 chicks hatch under a broody on Thursday - 4 days ago.
They all looked fine & perky for 2 days & she seemed to be caring for them normally.

Yesterday in rapid succession we found 2 not under the hen, limp. Removed them to under a heat lamp & they both died within a few hrs. Today the remaining one who was ok yesterday was out from under the broody in similar condition. He took some whey & seems a little more mobile than they but otherwise not looking good.

Poop looks ok.

Had bad storm the night before the 2 died & if broody was not on them well they may have gotten chilled & may have had rain blow on them.

Also - we fed them some cabbage worms the day before the 2 died.

Any ideas??

Also - does a broody reject chicks & kick them out of the nest if they're not thriving?

 

[robin416]

Maybe, to your last question. Some hens will keep them no matter what, others shove them out.

There could be several causes for the deaths. My first impulse is to blame the worms. Peeps that young really shouldn't be fed anything but their chick feed for several weeks, they need the time to grow in to new foods.

The second thing it could be; something wrong with the genetics or the nutrition of the breeding parents. If you've had successful hatches from these particular birds then there might be something going on with their food.

 

[OCchickens]

The 3rd chick was willing to eat & drink altho very floppy. We fed whey from homemade yogurt initially, then water & he started to be able to get his feet under him by the next day. We put him back in with his mom yesterday afternoon & he's better yet today - still wobbly but popping around the cage & she is mothering him & encouraging him to eat. He's pecking at food & drinking water.

What an inspiring recovery!

I was ready to give up on him after the 1st 2 died but my son insisted we get him under the light right away!

I'm wondering now if it could have been ergot poisoning from some moldy food that was stuck to the bottom of the brooder - we didn't know better then to clean it out but we do now.

 

[robin416]

Its very possible and a reason why everyone bugs people about knowing everything about the set up. Good on your son, he saved the baby by being pushy about it.