7 week old chicks dead.

[Canofwtf]

Do chicks just die? They were 7 week old chicks and I had them in a dog cage to familiarize them with the older chicks. I had four, but 3 of them just died. They had access to water, food and shade.
It didn’t look as though the older chicks got to them. It did reach 101 today. What did we do wrong?

What do I do with the one that I have? How do I add her to the flock? I gave her some egg yolk. We are making sure she has enough water.

 

[ChickNanny13]

You may want to correct your heading is says "years" instead of "weeks.

How old are "the older chicks"? Do they make up your flock or are there others?

Personally I would not add the singleton to the flock the rest may "gang up" on it. Very possible the heat got to them. How were the bodies of those that died; mouths open, stretched out, bunched up, any injuries? What's the condition of the singleton?

When you try to add it, put it in a wire cage with food/water, make sure the rest can't get at it thru the wire. Put the cage in the coop for a week or maybe longer, until others tend not to be interested in it any more. Before releasing into the flock, make sure it has hiding spaces to run and get away from the older ones. Make very sure you have extra feeders/ waterers so it has a chance to eat when chased from the feed.

 

[Canofwtf]

You may want to correct your heading is says "years" instead of "weeks.

How old are "the older chicks"? Do they make up your flock or are there others?

Personally I would not add the singleton to the flock the rest may "gang up" on it. Very possible the heat got to them. How were the bodies of those that died; mouths open, stretched out, bunched up, any injuries? What's the condition of the singleton?

When you try to add it, put it in a wire cage with food/water, make sure the rest can't get at it thru the wire. Put the cage in the coop for a week or maybe longer, until others tend not to be interested in it any more. Before releasing into the flock, make sure it has hiding spaces to run and get away from the older ones. Make very sure you have extra feeders/ waterers so it has a chance to eat when chased from the feed.

I noticed that and fixed it. Thank you.

My other chicks are 11 weeks old. They ARE the flock.

They were mouths closed eyes open and kinda scrunched, no injuries. The singleton seems fine.

 

[Mrs. K]

Yes chicks just die. It happens. It is odd that three died. I think it must have been the heat. Sickening, I know. I hate finding dead birds, but one does if they have chickens, maybe not real often, but it does happen.

The thing about shade is that it moves during the day. And sometimes in giving enough shade, one cuts off breezes and ventilation.

Have you been keeping the to groups completely separate, or have they been hanging out for a while? Cause I would not consider 11 weeks and 7 weeks as different flocks. It is not that great of an age difference, and will get less so in the coming weeks

Mrs K

 

[Canofwtf]

Yes chicks just die. It happens. It is odd that three died. I think it must have been the heat. Sickening, I know. I hate finding dead birds, but one does if they have chickens, maybe not real often, but it does happen.

The thing about shade is that it moves during the day. And sometimes in giving enough shade, one cuts off breezes and ventilation.

Have you been keeping the to groups completely separate, or have they been hanging out for a while? Cause I would not consider 11 weeks and 7 weeks as different flocks. It is not that great of an age difference, and will get less so in the coming weeks

Mrs K

So then, how would you integrate them together?
Should I wait until my 7-weekers (we did get her a friend) are older or should we incorporate them sooner?
I hear giving the smaller ones places to escape/hide, but should it be more seamless than introducing them to already laying hens.
I feel like everything that I have read is up in the air.

I also felt it odd that it happened that way as the last one was completely fine.