I have/had 12 six week old chicks, 10 are gold and silver laced wyandottes, 2 are Easter Eggers.
Yesterday they all looked fine, all eating and drinking. Today i go out and only count 11 eating, find one of the silver laced wyandottes laying beside a box. She couldn't stand up, just flopped around when she tried. I brought her inside, tried to warm her up in case she was chilled and offered wet chick starter. She refused and just huddled down in my hands. I went to get a dropper to try and get her to drink some water and when i picked her back up she went stiff, almost like she was siezing, then died in my hands. I have no idea what happened, and I'm scared to death I'm going to lose some of my other chicks. I'm brand new to poultry, just bought our homestead about a month ago.
Here are any details i can think of.
They are in a pen with aspen shavings in my garage right now, i bought them last week from a well known poultry farmer in my area at the small animal swap. He told me they had been outside in a pen already, and were about 5 weeks old.
They've had plenty of fresh water, and are still on chick starter though i was thinking about switching them soon.
Since it had been chilly here and rainy, i had a blanket draped over the top of the pen to help stop drafts and keep in warmth but there was still fresh air movement through the sides.
Any advice??
Yesterday they all looked fine, all eating and drinking. Today i go out and only count 11 eating, find one of the silver laced wyandottes laying beside a box. She couldn't stand up, just flopped around when she tried. I brought her inside, tried to warm her up in case she was chilled and offered wet chick starter. She refused and just huddled down in my hands. I went to get a dropper to try and get her to drink some water and when i picked her back up she went stiff, almost like she was siezing, then died in my hands. I have no idea what happened, and I'm scared to death I'm going to lose some of my other chicks. I'm brand new to poultry, just bought our homestead about a month ago.
Here are any details i can think of.
They are in a pen with aspen shavings in my garage right now, i bought them last week from a well known poultry farmer in my area at the small animal swap. He told me they had been outside in a pen already, and were about 5 weeks old.
They've had plenty of fresh water, and are still on chick starter though i was thinking about switching them soon.
Since it had been chilly here and rainy, i had a blanket draped over the top of the pen to help stop drafts and keep in warmth but there was still fresh air movement through the sides.
Any advice??
