6/7 week old chicks suddenly falling ill and dying

[SanamsChicks]

hello everyone

It’s been a while since I’ve been on here but needed some help. My hen hatched 10 chicks and other one hatched 2 when the chicks turned around 5/6 weeks old they started falling ill one by one and then dying after 2/3 days. They would just stand around with eyes closed, shivering sometimes and wings dropped. I would bring them in to warm them under incubator and they would look a lot better so I let them go back to mother hen but I’d normally find them dead a day or two later. So far I’ve lost 3 chicks to predators and another 5 in total to falling ill. I’ve wormed all birds and I just can’t work out what’s wrong with the chicks. The other chickens seem fine. They run with the whole flock and all sleep together too.

 

[Yus745]

Does the other members of flock attack them if not do they get stood on when eating do they have appropriate sleeping area with their mother

 

[SanamsChicks]

Feeding Time is a bit crazy but their mothers scare the other flock members off if anything. They get to eat before all other flock members. I have seen other chickens try peck them when their mums aren’t near but normally they stick close to their mums. They don’t look injured to me but I’m not sure what it is. It’s like their all dying one by one and it will always be one chick unwell at a time.

 

[Yus745]

Feeding Time is a bit crazy but their mothers scare the other flock members off if anything. They get to eat before all other flock members. I have seen other chickens try peck them when their mums aren’t near but normally they stick close to their mums. They don’t look injured to me but I’m not sure what it is. It’s like their all dying one by one and it will always be one chick unwell at a time.

Try feeding them medicated chick food and if that doesnt work you will have to use incubator to keep them alive for a couple of months

 

[SanamsChicks]

Is it because they are cold that they are dying? They normally fell ill after there had been a cold night but they always sleep under their mums so I just don’t understand how they would have got cold when they have a hen to look after them. They are free range and I have noticed that the hens roam around continuously and only once or twice a day will I see them sit still to let chicks huddle under. Is this normal behaviour?

 

[Yus745]

Is it because they are cold that they are dying? They normally fell ill after there had been a cold night but they always sleep under their mums so I just don’t understand how they would have got cold when they have a hen to look after them. They are free range and I have noticed that the hens roam around continuously and only once or twice a day will I see them sit still to let chicks huddle under. Is this normal behaviour?

For 5 chicks that are 5/6 week old they are all too big for all of them to be under the hen at the same time.Another big cause it mites lice and things you will have to clean it properly and check them carefully apart from this i would only say the cold aswell always dont let wind directly go onto them so leave ventilation at the highest point possible

 

[SanamsChicks]

Haven’t checked for lice or mites but will do that too. I have seen some powders for sale and some liquid form stuff to get rid and prevent mites. Which would be better? I didn’t think lice or mites could kill the chicks.

 

[SanamsChicks]

There are two hens. One hen has one chick remaining and the other has 3 left. The single chick is currently inside as was displaying the droopy wings today.

 

[Yus745]

Haven’t checked for lice or mites but will do that too. I have seen some powders for sale and some liquid form stuff to get rid and prevent mites. Which would be better? I didn’t think lice or mites could kill the chicks.

They dont kill them straight away but do suck the blood and do other things try a safe amount of diamotaceous eartg

 

[Yus745]

Haven’t checked for lice or mites but will do that too. I have seen some powders for sale and some liquid form stuff to get rid and prevent mites. Which would be better? I didn’t think lice or mites could kill the chicks.

They dont kill them straight away but do suck the blood and do other things try a safe amount of diamotaceous eartg