3 Week Old Chicks Dying

[Nic111182]

A few days ago we had a baby die. Several others became lethargic and one became so weak she couldn't stand. I took them to the vet and their fecal came back clean. We added probiotic to their water and some natural supplements to their food and they started to perk up.

Then just a few moments ago I heard a chick calling out REALLY loud and I ran to the brooder and found her on her side convulsing. I grabbed her up and she opened her eyes for a moment then closed them. We tried to give some yolk and hold her and revive her. But she died.

What is happening to my chicks! I'm scared for the others because I do not know what's wrong.

 

[sourland]

Is there any possibility that your heating bulb is Teflon coated? Have you changed anything in their husbandry?

 

[RNjoy17]

Did you ever find anything out? Yesterday I had 11 out of 12 birds die within 3 hours. They were completely fine in the morning, then they were all laying down one by one, be lethargic and then have convulsions and die. I was treating for Coccidiosis and was on day 4 of 5. They were getting electrolytes as well. I’m just so confused as to what happened or what I did wrong. I got them all from TSC. Another user posted a similar thing happened to her as well with her SLW’s & EE’s which were the two breeds I bought. I haven’t gotten a response from her yet though

 

[theycallmechickmagnet]

Did you ever find anything out? Yesterday I had 11 out of 12 birds die within 3 hours. They were completely fine in the morning, then they were all laying down one by one, be lethargic and then have convulsions and die. I was treating for Coccidiosis and was on day 4 of 5. They were getting electrolytes as well. I’m just so confused as to what happened or what I did wrong. I got them all from TSC. Another user posted a similar thing happened to her as well with her SLW’s & EE’s which were the two breeds I bought. I haven’t gotten a response from her yet though

I got a bunch of bantams from TSC and they have all been fine but now they are dropping dead left and right and idk why. A few of the ones we hatched are dying too but we've lost almost every single TSC one. Do you think it might be a TSC problem or something were doing wrong?

 

[RNjoy17]

I got a bunch of bantams from TSC and they have all been fine but now they are dropping dead left and right and idk why. A few of the ones we hatched are dying too but we've lost almost every single TSC one. Do you think it might be a TSC problem or something were doing wrong?

I really don’t know but it is beyond irritating.... the one that survived the whole ordeal is now doing great. We bout 14 more at TSC, buff Orpington and Blue Plymouth rocks and those all seem to be doing well at this time. I think I will be switching my feed to medicated for the new babies though, just in case. I was feeding exclusively organic prior and then treated the flock with Corid. It may not help at all but it will Atleast give me a peace of mind that the feed is NOT the issue.

Best of luck with your babes. Any idea what the temperature is in your brooder? If it happens again to me I may get a necropsy done, here there between $100-200. Expensive, but loosing more birds is to

 

[theycallmechickmagnet]

I really don’t know but it is beyond irritating.... the one that survived the whole ordeal is now doing great. We bout 14 more at TSC, buff Orpington and Blue Plymouth rocks and those all seem to be doing well at this time. I think I will be switching my feed to medicated for the new babies though, just in case. I was feeding exclusively organic prior and then treated the flock with Corid. It may not help at all but it will Atleast give me a peace of mind that the feed is NOT the issue.

Best of luck with your babes. Any idea what the temperature is in your brooder? If it happens again to me I may get a necropsy done, here there between $100-200. Expensive, but loosing more birds is to

I just switched to a different medicated feed and they happened to get coccidiosis. I've never had problems with it before so this is so weird. Maybe TSC had a bad batch? Or it could just be the food idk. I'd recommend Purina- Medicated Start & Grow for their food. That's the one that we never had issues with. I think it's the Dumor one that ours are on now thats causing issues.

I am not sure what our brooder temperature is but I know we always have to move the light because the babies just don't seem to stay warm. We use one of those giant lamps with the 250 watt red bulb. It stays about a foot away from the brooder and we have a towel over half the top (because air conditioning)

Hopefully it doesn't happen to you again. If it does I would just stop buying from TSC and maybe hatch instead. And thanks, good luck to you as well. All of mine were discounted at $1 because they had a new shipment in the back. Seems a bit sketchy tho haha. We have 2 of 11 left and they are currently half-dead. Hoping my Corid arrives soon because I really like those ones!

 

[RNjoy17]

I just switched to a different medicated feed and they happened to get coccidiosis. I've never had problems with it before so this is so weird. Maybe TSC had a bad batch? Or it could just be the food idk. I'd recommend Purina- Medicated Start & Grow for their food. That's the one that we never had issues with. I think it's the Dumor one that ours are on now thats causing issues.

I am not sure what our brooder temperature is but I know we always have to move the light because the babies just don't seem to stay warm. We use one of those giant lamps with the 250 watt red bulb. It stays about a foot away from the brooder and we have a towel over half the top (because air conditioning)

Hopefully it doesn't happen to you again. If it does I would just stop buying from TSC and maybe hatch instead. And thanks, good luck to you as well. All of mine were discounted at $1 because they had a new shipment in the back. Seems a bit sketchy tho haha. We have 2 of 11 left and they are currently half-dead. Hoping my Corid arrives soon because I really like those ones!

So sorry that you new babies have died as well
With both batches I have been feeding Nature's Best Organic Chick Starter/Grower. I was going to start this second batch on medicated food, but when I went to go pick them up they were already eating the organic food I had on hand so I didn't change the food. I do have Corid on hand though so I can treat them as soon as symptoms start - if it happens again.

I just finished building a larger brooder box for them, and am also trying to wean them from the heat lamp earlier.... maybe their immune system might benefit from being outside earlier. Who knows