Baby chicks dying

[Jhogo]

I'm very sorry for your loss! The heat lamp looks too close to them. Can you put a thermometer on the floor and check it. It should be around 85-90°F.

Their feed should be chick crumbles.

They shouldn't have told you to give them amprolium AND medicated feed, but don't think that should have been their demise.

Thanks Debbie, the outside edge of the brooder box where they tend to sleep is approximately 86F. Directly under the light would be significantly warmer I'd guess.

I'll go to try to find some chick crumble somewhere this morning and give them the option of both.

The poultry store seems fairly reputable, selling a few varieties of chicken, as well as ducks etc. and have been around for quite a while. Everything I got (apart from the brooder plate which I'm currently not using) was bought as a pack from the store.

 

[RubelliteRose]

I'm so sorry you are going through all this.
Usually if chicks are too hot, they move away from the heat instead of clustering under the heat lamp like they are in your picture.
Have you contacted the store where you bought them to see if others are also having chick deaths?
A possibility is also bad feed. A feed store near us had their feed stored temporarily in a trailer while they were remodeling and the food went bad due to the humidity. Unfortunately, several animals died before anyone figured out that food was toxic.

 

[Jhogo]

Thanks all, I'm going to get a proper thermometer and some chick crumble from a different store this morning. I'll also raise the lamp a little as it does seem quite warm around the edge. @RubelliteRose I think the picture is actually a bit deceiving, they're kind of huddled in the far corner away from the centre of the light.

I'll also be providing fresh water along with the vitamin water (I assume they'll be able to self regulate this, knowing which one they need?

 

[NatJ]

the edge of the brooder (in the end by the lamp) is approximately 86F (30C), so I assume that under the lamp would be somewhere between 90-95F.

What is the temperature at the other end of the brooder? (The coolest place the chicks can get to.)

I'll also raise the lamp a little as it does seem quite warm around the edge.

If they have plenty of cool space, I would leave the lamp alone.
Raising it does make the hottest area cooler, but it also makes the heat spread over a larger area. So that makes the "cool" part of the brooder smaller, which is not always an improvement.

I would consider using a smaller bulb (lower wattage, less heat.)

If the coolest area is cool enough, and the chicks are not choosing to spend time in the coolest area, then I do not think the temperature is causing your trouble.

 

[AshVau22]

Thanks AshVau, the first 2 died before we introduced the vitamin mix at all, and up until last night, it was at about half the recommended strength. I've since put in some fresh water, and the lethargic one has had a drink when I've dipped it's beak. Hopefully it will keep going back for it, but if not, I'll keep encouraging it every couple of hours.

Some other information to consider. You have them on medicated feed but also treated with Amprolium I do not recommend this.
Using amprolium in water or feed.
The method depends on whether you are preventing or treating coccidiosis. Medicated chick starter (feed with amprolium) is for prevention, while liquid amprolium in water is typically used for a treatment dose during an outbreak. It's crucial not to use both simultaneously to avoid an overdose, which can cause toxicity.

I personally would pull the vitamin water and only have fresh water with nothing added for at least 24 and see if you see any improvement in the lethargic one.

 

[Jhogo]

What is the temperature at the other end of the brooder? (The coolest place the chicks can get to.)


If they have plenty of cool space, I would leave the lamp alone.
Raising it does make the hottest area cooler, but it also makes the heat spread over a larger area. So that makes the "cool" part of the brooder smaller, which is not always an improvement.

I would consider using a smaller bulb (lower wattage, less heat.)

If the coolest area is cool enough, and the chicks are not choosing to spend time in the coolest area, then I do not think the temperature is causing your trouble.

Thanks Nat, the cool end is roughly 72-77F (behind the water/feed) - they almost never spend time here other than to eat/drink. They have dug away all the pine shavings in one of the corners by the heat lamp - I think this is just because they like pecking the plastic (one started and they all caught on) but thought maybe it's because the plastic underneath is cooler?

 

[Jhogo]

Some other information to consider. You have them on medicated feed but also treated with Amprolium I do not recommend this.
Using amprolium in water or feed.
The method depends on whether you are preventing or treating coccidiosis. Medicated chick starter (feed with amprolium) is for prevention, while liquid amprolium in water is typically used for a treatment dose during an outbreak. It's crucial not to use both simultaneously to avoid an overdose, which can cause toxicity.

I personally would pull the vitamin water and only have fresh water with nothing added for at least 24 and see if you see any improvement in the lethargic one.

Thanks @AshVau22 , I appreciate the insights. I was only going off what I was told by the store unfortunately, but won't be giving them any more of the Amprolium in their water from now on. I'll also get some new feed (should this still be medicated for preventative medication?).

 

[NatJ]

Thanks Nat, the cool end is roughly 72-77F (behind the water/feed) - they almost never spend time here other than to eat/drink. They have dug away all the pine shavings in one of the corners by the heat lamp - I think this is just because they like pecking the plastic (one started and they all caught on) but thought maybe it's because the plastic underneath is cooler?

Given all that, I think the temperature is probably fine. The behavior of the chicks is usually the best "thermometer," and it sounds like yours finding comfortable temperatures, with access to some areas warmer and some cooler than what they are choosing. That's good.

As they get older, they will want to spend more time in the cool area, so they will appreciate the bigger brooder you have planned.

For the digging, I think you are probably right that they just like digging & pecking there.

 

[AshVau22]

Thanks @AshVau22 , I appreciate the insights. I was only going off what I was told by the store unfortunately, but won't be giving them any more of the Amprolium in their water from now on. I'll also get some new feed (should this still be medicated for preventative medication?).

A medicated crumble is fine and crumble without medicated is fine. It's unfortunate the advice that was given to you by the feed store and I'm sorry you lost chicks. Normally I feed chicks medicated feed that I'm selling to someone who has had an out break of Coccidiosis before and they request if I can start them out on medicated feed. For the chicks I hatch for myself I use non medicated.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

All of the chicks have been on medicated starter feed, and they had Amprolium mixed with their water for the first 3 days as per instructions from the poultry store.

FYI - I'm in Australia

8 day-old chicks last week

sleepy/lethargic during the day before, and I think they're only really pretending to eat more than anything when they others go for a feed.

chicks are inside the house. Ambient temps in the house are 21-25 C (70 - 77 F)

EDIT: the edge of the brooder (in the end by the lamp) is approximately 86F (30C), so I assume that under the lamp would be somewhere between 90-95F.

Welcome To BYC

Can you please tell us the brand of medicated feed? You are in AU, so I think the medication in most chick starters there is Lasalocid Sodium, not Amprolium like it is here in the US.

While I don't think there are contraindications between the 2, I would not give Amprolium in addition to medicated feed that contains Lasalocid Sodium.

IF the feed you are feeding contains Amprol/Amprolium, then dosing with Amprolium shouldn't be a problem as long as you are giving the correct dosing and not giving extra vitamins that contain B1(Thiamine) during the course of treatment.

8 day old chicks, inside temps 70-77F. I think your brooder temps are probably o.k. if not a little warm under the lamp.

Yes, I would try to encourage drinking. I'd give fresh plain water. Try some wet mushy feed as well.