Baby chicks dying??? Need Help

[Shiningfeather]

We have 2 and 3 week old baby chicks. Started with 30 total, 10 EE's and 20 mixed of white leghorn, gold star, silver lace polish and I think black star. Anyway things went well the first few days and after a week they started dying. I have 17 chicks left healthy at this point. I have been feeding medicated feed from day one and gave vitamins (without iron) for several days. They have a room built just for them in our shop that is about 10x10, with pine on the floor, heater and heat lamp. The room has been devided in two and EE's on one side as they are bigger and smaller ones on the other. They have had food and water at all times. We check on them all through the day and they will all be eating drinking and acting normal. Then when we check there will be one down. The chick was fine one moment and the next it acts as if it just has no energy and can't even stand. They also seem to be having problems breathing at this point. Then they die. I would like to try and figure out why this is happening as we have eggs in the bator and I don't want it to happen to them to. We got the chicks from a local man that orders from several hatcheries then sells the chicks. I did not ask if they had been vacinated so I don't know the answer to that. My husband said he thinks we need to turn off the light for a while daily so then can sleep. I have not heard or read that you need to do this for them but am willing to try just about anything at this point to save the rest. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[RendonRoo]

No don't turn off light. They will sleep fine with it on. The heat is the main thing. Beyond that i can't help you but i can wish you well and hope the rest of your chicks will be ok.. Try posting under emergencies. Good Luck

 

[silkiechicken]

I'll move this to emergencies.

More info would be good.

Such as bedding type, feed type and availability, temperature day and night, symptoms, what their poo looks like and so on. Anything you can think of including possible drafts.

Vaccines are either for cocci or mericks. Just dying doesn't sound like mericks and cocci isn't going to get them if they aren't touching soil.

 

[she-earl]

I lost sixe chicks in the first three days. I called the hatchery and asked what they thought the problem might be. They said the chicks may be eating the pine shaving bedding. Thus interferring with their digestion. I was to cover the shavings. I did but chicks would scratch the sheets back to get at the shavings. I removed all shavings and have gone to newspapers covered with a sheet. I have not lost any since they change.

 

[Shiningfeather]

They have been on medicated chick feed that we got the day we got them, with it being available at all times, Water has been changed daily. There is about 2 to 3 inchecs of pine shavings on the floor, and a board under the door so there is not any drafts and shavings stay in the room. Their poo I have been watching and looks normal. I have had to clean 3 pasty butts. Two of them died days later, but one is still fine. It was cold for several days after we first go them, the rest of the shop is not heated since it is 3000 sq. feet but as I have said their room has a heater and 3 heat lights. Opening the door to check them may have been a little drafty but the past 3 days it has been in the high 70's and 80's and one died last night.

 

[Ducklove334]

you're not supposed to use pine, it has toxic fumes that can cause respretory prblems, especially with birds.

try switching to Aspen, or Hay, as the breathing problems with the pine bedding worries me

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Pine bedding is the common one used, I think your talking about cedar bedding, that's not for use in brooders.

 

[Laskaland]

Do you have a thermometer in the brooder? At this age, they should be like 85- 90* I wonder if it's too hot. If they are struggling to breathe-panting, that could be an issue?
Good Luck!

 

[ILOVEFRIZZLES]

I had three chicks get sick. Two of them died, the other one is getting better. They had breathing problems and hard time walk and lost of energy. Fine one day died the next. I started giving them Tetracycline in there water. That seemed to work because no more have got sick.

 

[Shiningfeather]

I have the temp in the brooder at 80 since they are about 3 weeks old now.
What is Tetracycline and what is it for??? Where do I get it?