Baby Chicks Are Dying

[beetlebob]

I ordered 30 chickens from efowl.com, 20 Rhode Island Red, 5 Americaunas and 5 White Plymouth Rock chickens. They finally arrived yesterday. When we opened the package one chick was dead and another wasn't doing good. Both Plymouth Rock chickens. It finally died later. I have a new rabbit cage that I'm using as a brooder and I started out using a clear heat lamp at 250w and the temperature is around 95-98 degrees. Later in the evening I lost another Plymouth Rock chicken and then when I got up this morning I lost two Rhode Island Reds. I believe one was the rooster because it was the only one with a green stripe on the head. Then my wife and I went shopping and I lost two more Rhode Island Reds and another one isn't looking well. I changed out the clear heat lamp to a red heat lamp. Does anyone have any advice? Am I doing something wrong? Please help.

Thank you

Bob Bailey

 

[barnhelp92]

makes sure they know how to use the waterer dipping their beaks in it also you can add 2tsp of applecider vinegar to a gallon of water for a better start.
also make sure no one is getting pasty butt an they are eating. are they on woodchips if so they could be eating them for the first couple days i cover them with papertowels so they learn what their food is.

 

[beetlebob]

I have some chick stuff in the water and they have all gone over to get water and some food. you can usually tell when they're about to die because they lay down on their sides. this is terrible and upsetting. i'm getting some later this week locally. i've already sent an email to the company i've ordered them from and i plan on calling them monday as well.

 

[barnhelp92]

their not crowded an all have acess to the waterer an feed what about your bedding could they be eating it are they picking on each other is the hole brooder 98 mine are a bit long so there is a cooler area .are they all milling about,around the edges or directly under the lamp. could there be a draft on them as well that will certainly kill or sicken young chicks

 

[CowgirlPenny]

Honestly, I think your brooder is WAY too warm. It's easier to kill chicks by overheating, than freezing them.

 

[beetlebob]

my brooder is about 42 inches long and they have plenty of room to move around. they seem to move about for a while to include eating and drinking and then after a bit they go under the heat lamp. everything i've read about chickens says the temperature needs to be around 95 degrees the first week and then drop the temperature by 5 degrees each week. should there be bedding in there for them? or not? like i've said, its a new rabbit cage with a screen floor. we even put just a tiny bit of hay in the cage for them to lay on and they seem to like it. should i take the hay out? then? it's just coastal hay.

 

[allpeepedout]

A possibility of too much heat, as mentioned: A few threads have recently talked about 250W maybe being too hot, I think depending on ambient situation, ventilation, number chicks, etc. Tiny babies don't have the wits yet to know to move away. I speculate that they just feel stressed, wilt, lie down, cook, especiallly if under pile.

I think I saw this start to happen with one of my new babies at heat 95+. It snapped out of it when I lowered the temp. Mine did great in the low 90s first week thereafter.

 

[bock]

I am so sorry.

I know it's hard. I lost 13/24 chicks plus they forgot to ship one a few weeks ago. At first, people suggested they were too cold and advised me to put 2, 250 whatt bulbs over the brooder plus blankets over the sides. That night, I lost the most chicks. Finally, I took out one of the heat lamps and stopped putting vits and electrolytes in there water. We managed to save 11 and they are all happy, healthy 2 1/2 week old chicks. I probably did overheat them all, and I feel horrible. Maybe you should try raising the lamp a bit, just in case. The lower 90's near the lamp would probably be best. Think of it this way, a broody hen would not be sitting on her chicks the entire time. They would run around and scratch for a while, and run back to get warmed up by mamma. That is just one possibility, however, good luck!

 

[allpeepedout]

Forgot to add: I read that lots of people raise them on wire. Yet, animals like soft things, like things to nest in and lean on. Who wants to sleep on a flat surface? I put a old washcloths (no loose threads) in with mine (on paper towels) the first 2-3 days so they had something to cuddle on. They much preferred the softness.
If using hay, might they pick at it and eat some, thus requiring grit ASAP? Don' know, just asking.

 

[Katy]

Way too hot!!!