4 dead babies what killed them??UPDATE More babies gone!! HELP

[TerryQui]

Well I am thinking that in the days before chickens were fed a medicated feed, probably alot were lost to illness often. They are weak when they are little.
Also is the heat lamp actually at a good temperature to keep them warm? They should be able to run around freely and stay warm still.
I don't understand the principle of feeding them twice a day though. Chickens are grazers. That probably means that they need something in their system at all times to keep their blood sugar up. They are not dogs or people.
I raise birds and they eat continuously all day long. They are fragile and if they go without food or water for even one day, they can die.
So it might just be that they are dying of starvation and it sounds like the whole pack is not fed well and are small.
I know it will cost you a little to give them some extra feed, but could you just give them some more of their meat and maybe more then twice a day?
Then when these people come back, they need to be given the truth about their animal care. If they don't understand how to care for chickens and need to be taught, then teach them. If they won't listen to change and doing it right, well then I would consider turning them in.
Maybe though, they just need educated. I am glad that you are there for them right now.
The fact that it is the older ones dying is what suggests starvation to me. Starvation doesn't happen fast and the older ones would need more food. So they are slowly dying inside by not getting what they need to feed their brain and organs.

 

[Nicole01]

I personally wouldn't call animal control unless there was severe neglect. It seems like this group of chicks came down with cocci, which conditions were prime for it. The rain caused mold in the hay. Cocci grows in wet moldy conditions. The chicks are now in dry bedding. The neighbor isn't starving the chicks, just feeding other type of food that I or most people never would feed. The brooder seems small, but they will go out in a coop in a bit. I don't think I'd ever look after their chicks after this happened. It's too risky when their not being fed medicated food to build their immunity. It's impossible to control the weather and the chicks are outside.

 

[GhostRider65]

opps.........

 

[GhostRider65]

Quote:
I think that's half the problem, she never knew or used anything other than this, I have tried to tell her and showed her my chicks which are huge compared to hers, even my 14 week old babies are bigger than her full grown roosters, hence she thinks a hen she got was part banty or something but she has aracona crosses, and BO 1 RIR rooster, I see no banty chickens there, and none are full sized I will snap a couple pictures tomorrow to show you what I mean. She does love her birds I have helped her doctor several that were almost taken by foxes or coyotes, and helped her sit out and trap or shoot them chicken killers, she keeps every sick, dying, wounded, broken or maimed bird she gets, and trys to save it, I just think she doesn't know how to do it, the way most people us BYC people would. Really she is a very nice lady and I think she means well, she just don't know, what I now know. So she does the best she can.

I also couldn't turn her in because she is my friend. and I don't think she does it on purpose..........It wouldn't do any good around here anyway even if the conditions were so bad I couldn't live with myself without calling............. if there is any food or water at all no matter how nasty they will do nothing anyway.
There's a starving old horse a couple miles up the road , never water or food out there the field is weeds, and that's all I have seen, the field is the garbage dump for these filthy people full of waste, tin cans ect. they been turned in at least 10 times several by me, the horse is still there, 11 years now. As long as the barn has hay in it and there's a pond for the horse to drink from, if you can call it water its scummy with alga, and stinks its ok to torture your animals. The cruelty laws need to be redone, and the fines uped so high no one dare mistreat their animals. Then maybe people will change, until then it will all stay the same. If you all watch animal planet and the animal cops shows you will be made sick with what people do to their animals...I have seen such horrible retched conditions for all kinds of animals It makes me cry.
Well tonight no dead babies, I took them starter and HB eggs this afternoon and in the am I will bring them vitamins for the water. I added another small feeder the only 1 I could find, and if the feed is gone on Monday oh well, I'll get yelled at. She left me 50lbs of meat bird feed, and maybe 200 lbs of corn for all those birds and babies for 2 weeks, I have already been over feeding the meaty feed all along, cuz I know it isn't enough and it's almost gone. I will have to take some of mine up there to make it through.
Maybe the babies died from pneumonia from the draft behind the door, the 1 looked better tonight. I hope it isn't cocci. then there's little hope for any of them. She has no meds, and I have no money to go buy any, between paydays here. gggrrrrrrrr. I just hope whatever it is it doesn't end up on my cloths/shoes and coming home with me to my babies.
Thanks for all your support, everyone keep praying for the babies. Lord knows I will be. Kim

 

[BoltonChicken]

Wrong bedding

No, I didn't mean the shavings you were putting down. Thats exactly what I would have done. Don't beat yourself up over the stupidity of others.​

 

[GhostRider65]

Ok here are my 4 week old babies and a couple shots of my 14 week olds will add neighbors pictures after chores tomorrow morning.

For comparison the block wall behind my red and gray EE is a bit over 8 inches high about half his height.......the bottom roost is at 16 inches and they just fit under it.

 

[allieloveschickens]

I'm so sorry you have to go through this! She really should not own so many animals if she can't feed them. Maybe you can talk her into selling some off until she has a manageable number that she will be able to feed properly. It is definitely not your fault the babies are dying, you are doing a great job taking care of them in very trying circumstances. How frustrating to have to deal with!
Also your chickens are very pretty, they look like happy chooks!

 

[totallytang]

Hm sounds like the owner is one of those many sad people who go from one abusive relationship to another because they don’t believe they deserve better… people really shouldn’t blame her… she may be so scared of losing her husband that she is willing to jeopardize the health of her animals. she might think that her husband is more important that her chicken’s health. I have family members that are like this… I’m saving my anger for the husband… emotional abuse can be just as devastating as physical.
not to say she isnt in the wrong...

 

[GhostRider65]

Well it;s confirmed, cocci
Bloody pooh this morning ran to TSC and borrowed some of my bill money to buy the 25.99 bag of Corrid
I added some right away to the water, had 1 more dead baby when we got back. the directions on the package are so screwed up I don't need to mix up 250 gallons of the stuff.
Whats the right dosage? and how many days to keep them on it? will this also prevent them from getting it again? Guy at TS said to use as a preventive as well??? never heard this before. Seeing as how it's only 1 cage of babies should I just treat them or all the babies including the ones with there mothers, those waters are open to every animal in the barn though? chickens, ducks, turkey's quinness, turkey ducks..and the wild birds that hang around, like swallows, sparrows, and anything else with wings......can they all have it should they all have it?

 

[Pele]

This thread is really disheartening

But at least you are trying your best to save them, that's something.

The owner of the chicks is pretty much doing every single thing wrong with them that she can. Overcrowding 20 birds into a small birdcage is inhumane. Mixing age groups will lead to bullying of the small chicks. Wet and dirty bedding leads to Cocci. No heat lamp will lead to death of the youngest. Exposure to the wind will pretty much kill them all. Lack of access to food will pretty much kille them all.

To be honest, I'd just take them to the local humane society. There's no way that the lady has any idea what she's doing with them. If you value your relationship with her, you can just tell the Humane Society that you found them on the side of the road or something. Either way, they don't deserve to be tortured by her ignorance any longer.

Thank you for caring about them enough to try to save them.