baby chicks dying help please

[baehrgirl]

this is my first time raising day-old chicks, i got 7 gold laced wyandottes. After two days i woke to two dead chicks and a almost dead. I was puzzled because i was doing everything right food water and heat wise. the only thing that was strange was that a few were laying on their stomachs occasionally. then a fourth one died this afternoon after being slow and breathing oddly, andnow one is gulping for air! I am extremely concerned. one thought is that we don't have starter feed only ground-up grower. is that bad? i would love it if someone knows whats going on!
P.S. I am new to the BYC

 

[TwoCrows]

I am very sorry you are having such troubles.

What kind of food exactly are you feeding and how ground up is the feed?

The best way to figure these things out is to go over every detail in the brooder. Start with a brooder with solid walls and a solid floor. You don't want the babies to get chilled. Brood them inside the house or in a heated area. Start out new babies at 95 degrees, the thermometer directly on the floor under the heat source. Leave it on 24/7. Keep the heat off to one side, the food and water off on the other so they have to leave the heat to get to the goods. Lay down paper towels and sprinkle feed all around the floor near the feeder so they can find the feed. Dip everybody's beak in the water so they all know were the water is stored. Do not cover the top of the brooder with anything but a screen or wire for good heat and oxygen exchange. Do not use cold water in the brooder, but fill your waterers with room temp water.

As for the feed...while chick starter is preferred being higher in protein, the grower will not kill them. But if you are not grinding it down enough, they could be choking. I would grind it down to nearly powder. Tiny tiny chunks. But you really should get some starter feed.

Go over your brooder and see if anything seems out of whack. And I would try to get some starter feed for them. Make sure your thermometer is accurate.

 

[drumstick diva]

2 crows has given you great information - please check it all out step by step, so you don't miss anything. Do you actually see the chicks eating/drinking? How does their poo look?

 

[baehrgirl]

hello and thanks
1. the feed that I am giving them now is Countryside soy-free organic grower
2. it is blended until as powdery as it can get then i sift it and blend the leftovers and so on and so forth
3. the brooder is a shallow (but tall for the chicks) Rubbermaid container with holes in the sides and a cut-out lid with chicken wire (note- I also put a thick towel around it at night to prevent drafts)
4. they are kept in a greenhouse type area connected to the house with a red heat lamp at good level and I check on the temperature often and make it the right warmth
5. i will make a note that the heat lamp should probably stay off to one side even though the direct light fills the box
6. also all of the chicks that are left are eating and drinking happily and normally
7. i have only had grower so far because the guy at the feed store was out and he said that grower had all the same nutrients as starter and all you had to do was grind it up
thanks for all of the help!

 

[TwoCrows]

hello and thanks
1. the feed that I am giving them now is Countryside soy-free organic grower
2. it is blended until as powdery as it can get then i sift it and blend the leftovers and so on and so forth
3. the brooder is a shallow (but tall for the chicks) Rubbermaid container with holes in the sides and a cut-out lid with chicken wire (note- I also put a thick towel around it at night to prevent drafts)
4. they are kept in a greenhouse type area connected to the house with a red heat lamp at good level and I check on the temperature often and make it the right warmth
5. i will make a note that the heat lamp should probably stay off to one side even though the direct light fills the box
6. also all of the chicks that are left are eating and drinking happily and normally
7. i have only had grower so far because the guy at the feed store was out and he said that grower had all the same nutrients as starter and all you had to do was grind it up
thanks for all of the help!

Are you brooding these chicks indoors? You do not need to wrap a towel around it as you may be over heating them. The lid with the cut out in the top is probably holding in too much heat and not letting in oxygen.

So...take off this lid. I believe you are over heating them as that is why they are dying at night. Too much heat is building up and they are dying. The lid of the brooder needs to be completely open. So replace it with a screen and hang the light over this screen.

Grower has less protein than starter. Check the tag on the bag...chicks should have 18% protein.

 

[baehrgirl]

hi again
yes i am brooding indoors and i just now took off the towel and checked the feed, it is actually 19% protein!
i don't know if i made you confused but the lid is almost completely screen except for the sides so i can take it on and off

thanks again

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Hope you are able to figure out what is going on with your chicks. How old are these chicks now? Are you using a thermometer to check temperature in the brooder?, you might want to use another one in case one is not reading accurately. Have you used that container before as a brooder? What sort of light / heat bulb are you using?

 

[baehrgirl]

hiya!
they are now five days old (just little babies!)
yes i am using a thermometer in the brooder and i may use another one soon
the heat lamp is a red light with a cage the brand is unknown i have no idea where my dad
(just to inform everyone i am 12 and trying to handle this situation boldly)

 

[TwoCrows]

hiya!
they are now five days old (just little babies!)
yes i am using a thermometer in the brooder and i may use another one soon
the heat lamp is a red light with a cage the brand is unknown i have no idea where my dad
(just to inform everyone i am 12 and trying to handle this situation boldly)

You are doing a FINE job! We just need to go over all the things that could possibly killing your babies, so bear with us as we grill you for info!

Generally babies die at this age from drafts, over heating or not getting enough to eat or drink. Do they all know where the feed and water is?

What exactly is your temp in the brooder?

 

[baehrgirl]

well they all know where their food and water is for sure!
temp is usually 95ish to 100