4 day old chicks dying fast

[Ridgerunner]

If @casportpony is available she might be able to help. She's pretty good.

I'm not sure what is going on. I'm not familiar with Quik Chick, I assume you are feeding it in the recommended dosage and replacing it daily so it doesn't get stale. As long as you are not overdoing it then it should not be doing any harm. Some of those boosters are supposedly only for their first water but it looks like Quik Chick is OK to repeat.

I'd call the hatchery and talk to them about this just to cover all bases. If this is happening to other customers they may have heard about it.

I'd stop the grit. It's unlikely it is contaminated but remove one variable. If all they are eating is chick feed they don't need grit.

I can't see that you are doing anything wrong at all. Hatcheries are generally really good at biosecurity and isolated in that bedroom they should not be exposed to any diseases. That brooder does not look wet which removes one concern. I don't know of any poisoning that would slowly kill a few at a time like that, especially since you are not feeding any other treats. There should not be any fumes in that bedroom.

I'm at a loss. Mainly because I don't know what is going on I'd clean out everything. Take the partition down so they have the entire area. Get rid of the newspaper and maybe get a bag of pine shavings to use as bedding. Try washing the waterer and food dish (rinse them well) and try fresh water and maybe even get a different bag of feed. Something is wrong and I don't know what it is.

 

[casportpony]

Is it possible that the bulbs are teflon-coated?

 

[seminolewind]

ridgerunner and casportpony seem to have covered all the bases. I would just like to add that make sure they are all actually eating and drinking. I had a batch of chicks once that I discovered were throwing the crumbles around but seems like the crumbles were too big for them and they were not eating them.. Boy o boy, when I ground the crumbles down they were eating like vultures. I have also given them crumbles and warm water and make a wet mash like cream of wheat and see if they go for that.

I have also schmeared vanilla yogurt on the side of their beak to get them eating.

 

[NatJ]

I've always set up my brooder and let the chicks decide what temp they want. Heat at one side and nothing on the other. They should all sleep somewhere in the middle.

That is what I prefer too.

But it causes a problem when the whole area is too hot, or the whole area is too cold-- which is why I suggested checking how accurate the thermometer is.

It sounds like OP has a setup like you recommend, one heated side and the other cool, but the chicks are acting too hot everywhere. So either the whole area really is hot (and the thermometer is wrong), or else there is some other problem.

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

Yes, pics of the brooder would be very helpful!

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

Will they come back from being too hot?

Yes, they probably will. But it depends if some really got to overheated. The chicks in the photo look ok tho! I would move the water and food further away from the heat source tho.

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

You could also give them a little sugar water or poultry nutri-drench to give them a little extra boost. Not to much though. How are the baby’s doing?

 

[Shelby Miller]

You could also give them a little sugar water or poultry nutri-drench to give them a little extra boost. Not to much though. How are the baby’s doing?

I have a couple more that look like they are going.

 

[seminolewind]

Maybe turn the heat off for a little bit? See what they do?

 

[Shelby Miller]

Where did you get the bulb from? If it was from a farm store or a pet store/section it should be safe to use.

It was from tractor supply.