All my chicks died in 20 minutes!

[Gravityrides]

I got 8 chicks 4 days ago. I was told they were 1 week old at the time. This afternoon I had 7 of the 8 die within 20 minutes. This was my first time trying to raise chicks and I’m looking for some insight on what happened. Here are the variables.

I used pine shaving as bedding.
My brooder tank is a plastic storage bin.
I used Dumor organic chick starter grower.
I had a warming light 32 inches from the chicks.
The temp by the chicks was around 78 degrees.

Here’s the last variable. I cleaned the water feeder daily. We were out of the house for a solid 12 hours today and the chicks dumped a ton of pine shavings into the water feeder and it was empty. The bedding was damp but the chicks and bedding were warm from the light. I didn’t immediately change the bedding.

The kids and I were holding them and they seemed fine. The were interacting and jumping around. Then all of a sudden one after the other started to die. 7 of the 8 in 20 minutes. My thought is that regardless of temperature they couldn’t tolerate the moisture from leaked water feeder. They were not soaking wet by any means. But they were on moist bedding.

I would love some insight on this. We knew they wouldn’t all survive but not like this. We’re heart broken.

Thanks - Jon

 

[RubelliteRose]

That’s disappointing to hear about pine shavings not being recommended. They were recommended by the staff at tractor supply.

I've used pine shavings for all my chicks and never had any issues. I believe it is cedar shavings that shouldn't be used.
So sorry about your chicks.
What kind of light bulb are you using? I have heard of some being coated in teflon for safety, but teflon fumes can kill birds.

 

[Battlepants]

With them dying that close together, my gut feeling is to ask if YOU feel ok. Any light headedness or weird smells in the area? Potential carbon monoxide buildup?

 

[WallyG74]

Pine shavings don’t kill chicks. I’ve raised lots of chicks with pine shaving bedding.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That sounds very much like poisoning. CO2 is a good guess, was the feed contaminated, maybe the watering can had some chemical in it. Diseases, too cold or hot, too wet doesn't work that fast.

 

[samanthaoverton]

Odd theory but throwing it out there. What were you doing before handling the chicks. Did you wash your hands? Maybe there was something on your hands. Not saying germs. They don't work that fast but maybe a chemical, lotion or something toxic to small animals. Have you used any bug killer around the area? Any type of chemical on your hands clothes etc..

 

[saysfaa]

I got 8 chicks 4 days ago. I was told they were 1 week old at the time. This afternoon I had 7 of the 8 die within 20 minutes. This was my first time trying to raise chicks and I’m looking for some insight on what happened. Here are the variables.

I used pine shaving as bedding.
My brooder tank is a plastic storage bin.
I used Dumor organic chick starter grower.
I had a warming light 32 inches from the chicks.
The temp by the chicks was around 78 degrees.

Here’s the last variable. I cleaned the water feeder daily. We were out of the house for a solid 12 hours today and the chicks dumped a ton of pine shavings into the water feeder and it was empty. The bedding was damp but the chicks and bedding were warm from the light. I didn’t immediately change the bedding.

The kids and I were holding them and they seemed fine. The were interacting and jumping around. Then all of a sudden one after the other started to die. ...

Are you aware that a chicken's respiratory system includes air pockets just under their skin? These are delicate at any age but especially so in young chicks. What is not at all too tight for a kitten the same size could be too tight for a chick. One possibility.

Another is an accumulation of stressors. Any given thing that is not ideal is not too much stress if it is the only thing that is stressful. Damp bedding is stressful in itself and it also makes a low temperature more stressful than it otherwise would be. Not having water to drink can be a little stressful or very stressful depending on when how many hours they went without... they are tiny, they can't go as long as someone larger can. Possibly the final straw was being held, even if not squeezed too hard, because everything eats chickens. They can be tamed/taught to like to be held but their instincts are to panic at things like hands coming down at them and restraints.

I don't know what the cause was; these are things to consider as well as other possibilities given.

My sympathies for you and your kids, this is so hard, no matter what the cause is.

 

[RoyalChick]

So sorry to hear. Heartbreaking.


I have only brooded two batches of chicks but both times I used TSC pine shavings - the coarse ones, not the fine ones as the fine ones may be too easy to swallow.
The description makes toxic fumes like Teflon or CO2 more likely than the bedding.
I have a heat plate and the room is about 70 (mine are now 10 days old). I can’t see them all dropping dead at 78 without making a lot of fuss and noise beforehand. Mine spend 90% of their time away from the plate so wouldn’t be instantly killed by the 78 degrees.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I have brooded in plastic before and drilled holes in the sides. Ventilation is important even for baby chicks. Not sure if the wet bedding was the problem, my thought would be CO2 buildup. There will probably be someone with better insight. A wet chick is a dead chick is an old saying but not sure how applicable that is here

 

[Chicks in VA]

The temp by the chicks was around 78 degrees.

thats far to cold as well you need to be at around 90ish FH at a week old
in 20 minutes it was not co2 unless the was a solid top on the bin