At a loss, dying chicks.

[Bubbles23]

I’ve read several other threads and really haven’t seen one that applies to my situation.
I just got some week old chicks. Good breeder, no problems with other chicks. Mine on the other hand are dying. They have plenty of heat, place to go so they don’t get too hot, water, treated them with probiotics and electrolytes, they are on regular chick starter and had no problems eating, poops are a little watery but no unusual colors. I’m still new to this so many I’m missing something? I’ve had 3 chicks go from fine to not fine. Two of which died fairly quickly. My roo is showing the same signs but has made it longer than the other two. The signs they showed are lethargic, eyes closed constantly, don’t wanna eat or drink, and they kinda just flop over. The others are fine but also at the same time I’m worried because the 2 chicks went from fine to dead in less than 24 hours. The third one has been alive longer but is fighting. They are Wyandotte chicks.

 

[dearmeghann]

Can you post a picture of your set-up? Did any of the chicks have pasty butt?

 

[Bubbles23]

No none of them have pasty butt. That’s the closest I can get the heat lamp and it’s pretty warm in there. Not pictured is a place they can go if they get too hot because I removed the cover to take the picture. I think it may be there food from all the reading I’ve done. Did more searching while waiting for replies on this. I mistakenly got them medicated and I read something about it may be messing with their thiamine absorption?

 

[Rangergord]

How many chicks did you start with? How many days old? How warm is pretty warm? Do you have a thermometer? Medicated feed at least reduces the probability of Coccidiosis. I wouldn’t sweat about it. It is disturbing to see your chicks pass away and not know what is happening. I have lost one chick in similar fashion from my last two broods. One minute they are fine, the next they are refusing to live. I concentrate on managing temperature, maintaining a dry, clean brooder with clean water and medicated feed. Of course clean water is what the chicks seem to mess up first, and they like to perch on the feeder and poop in it. I switched to hanging feeder and hanging water nipple pail as soon as they seemed ready for it. I use a wall thermometer and spot check temperatures with a laser thermometer. Min/Max thermometers are really handy too.

 

[Bubbles23]

How many chicks did you start with? How many days old? How warm is pretty warm? Do you have a thermometer? Medicated feed at least reduces the probability of Coccidiosis. I wouldn’t sweat about it. It is disturbing to see your chicks pass away and not know what is happening. I have lost one chick in similar fashion from my last two broods. One minute they are fine, the next they are refusing to live. I concentrate on managing temperature, maintaining a dry, clean brooder with clean water and medicated feed. Of course clean water is what the chicks seem to mess up first, and they like to perch on the feeder and poop in it. I switched to hanging feeder and hanging water nipple pail as soon as they seemed ready for it. I use a wall thermometer and spot check temperatures with a laser thermometer. Min/Max thermometers are really handy too.

I had 11 chicks now I only have 8. They are a week old. I don’t have a thermometer yet. I plan on changing the water and feeder as soon as I can.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

No none of them have pasty butt. That’s the closest I can get the heat lamp and it’s pretty warm in there. Not pictured is a place they can go if they get too hot because I removed the cover to take the picture. I think it may be there food from all the reading I’ve done. Did more searching while waiting for replies on this. I mistakenly got them medicated and I read something about it may be messing with their thiamine absorption?

Medicated feed, assuming you mean "feed containing Amprolium" (the most common coccidiastat here in the US), work by inhibiting thiamine uptake in coccidia, yes. Dose should NOT by nearly high enough to affect the thiamine intake of your chicks.

But if it concerns you, reach into your pantry or make a quick trip to the local grocery, look for nutritional yeast. Check the back label, make sure its got thiamine. (some yeast on the shelf will be brewers, others will be nutritional. They may, or may not, be fortified. Its possible some yeast on the shelf will have essentially none - so check the label!) Sprinkle a teaspoon or so on the feed.

The excess thiamine you just provided will completely overwhelm the thiamine-antagonist activity of the Amprolium, and rapidly reverse its effects (if any, and however unlikely) on your birds.

I doubt its your problem, honestly, but what I don't know about poultry illness and injury would fill books (and does). Suggest you post on the illness forum, we have a couple posters I look to for advice there, particularly as you mention your rooster also being affected. I do know a thing or three about feed and nutrition, which is why I'm comfortable weighing in here.

Lethargy and decreased appetite are symptoms of thiamin deficiency (and a bunch of other things), yes - but you didn't mention staring up at the ceiling, wry neck, or convulsions... All symptoms before death in cases of extreme thiamine deficiency.

 

[Bubbles23]

Medicated feed, assuming you mean "feed containing Amprolium" (the most common coccidiastat here in the US), work by inhibiting thiamine uptake in coccidia, yes. Dose should NOT by nearly high enough to affect the thiamine intake of your chicks.

But if it concerns you, reach into your pantry or make a quick trip to the local grocery, look for nutritional yeast. Check the back label, make sure its got thiamine. (some yeast on the shelf will be brewers, others will be nutritional. They may, or may not, be fortified. Its possible some yeast on the shelf will have essentially none - so check the label!) Sprinkle a teaspoon or so on the feed.

The excess thiamine you just provided will completely overwhelm the thiamine-antagonist activity of the Amprolium, and rapidly reverse its effects (if any, and however unlikely) on your birds.

I doubt its your problem, honestly, but what I don't know about poultry illness and injury would fill books (and does). Suggest you post on the illness forum, we have a couple posters I look to for advice there, particularly as you mention your rooster also being affected. I do know a thing or three about feed and nutrition, which is why I'm comfortable weighing in here.

Lethargy and decreased appetite are symptoms of thiamin deficiency (and a bunch of other things), yes - but you didn't mention staring up at the ceiling, wry neck, or convulsions... All symptoms before death in cases of extreme thiamine deficiency.

They do get wry neck. Thats the only other thing other than flopping over. I’m also gonna get some Poultry cell to see if that helps. Thank you for your help!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

They do get wry neck. Thats the only other thing other than flopping over. I’m also gonna get some Poultry cell to see if that helps. Thank you for your help!

Keep your feed bag. If the birds respond positively to the thiamine, you want to report to the MFG. Its really unlikely they put too much coccidiastat in a batch, but its also very unlikely they would put t0oo much calcium in a bag - yet from time to time it has been found to happen. or a feed bag was simply filled with the wrong feed...

My best to you and your birds.

 

[Bubbles23]

Keep your feed bag. If the birds respond positively to the thiamine, you want to report to the MFG. Its really unlikely they put too much coccidiastat in a batch, but its also very unlikely they would put t0oo much calcium in a bag - yet from time to time it has been found to happen. or a feed bag was simply filled with the wrong feed...

My best to you and your birds.

Thank you so much. I will monitor them and then update later.

 

[Rangergord]

I had 11 chicks now I only have 8. They are a week old. I don’t have a thermometer yet. I plan on changing the water and feeder as soon as I can.

Yes those are pretty heavy losses. Make sure you get a thermometer soon. Our sense of comfort, heat and cold are far too subjective to rely on for accuracy.