Baby chicks dying.

[Lis H]

We just got 6 chicks from MPC. They all seemed fine when we got them, all started eating and drinking (manna pro medicated chick feed and water with sav-a-chick electrolyte and probiotic.) out of nowhere a few hours after getting them, one became extremely lethargic and died within an hour. Today just over 24 hours later the same thing happened to another one. No pasty butt, poops all looked normal, everything seemed fine and then all of a sudden not. They are in a tote with a heat plate brooder & seemed happy, coming in and out of the brooder to eat/drink/sleep.
Any ideas or things we should try to keep the other 4 alive and healthy?

 

[cmobley]

How big is the brooder and what's the temp in the brooder. You may be cooking them if they can't get away from the heat source.

 

[nuthatched]

How big is the tote? Totes aren't great for brooding since there's no ventilation and some plastic can leach chemicals

 

[Sono]

How big is the tote? Totes aren't great for brooding since there's no ventilation and some plastic can leach chemicals

Ive used the 45 gal roller tote from walmart, made a frame with chichen wire for a lid so the heat lamp can not fall into it as well as keep the chicks from jumping out as they get older. Never had an issue with overheating or ventilation. Ive had them roughly a month and they are close to being full feathered now, almost ready to remove the heat lamp. End of May they should be ready to go outside. Yes, some plastic totes smell when new and stacked together, I usually let it sit a day to air out... Ive used this new bedding made from corn cobs, has a plesant smell and have not had the bad smells from the chicks like I did with pine or cedar shavings. The chicks also seem to like this bedding as well, it is somewhat soft, kind of like bean bag fill just made from natural materials.