Baby chicks dying

[kycowgirlchick]

We just hatched out 150 chicks. We have lost about 30 after they have hatched. They were put in a brooder with the temp around 98. A vitamin supplement put in their water and medicated chick starter. The chicks just seem to never get their strength up. Others I have just found laying on their back or side. Some I would have thought were smoothered but I am unsure. They have a 5X5 area with 1 red 250watt heat bulb. They dont really huddle up under the lamp, but stay on that side of the brooder. The 1st night they were in the brooder was a cold night and the temp read 70 so I wasnt surprised to loose some. Trying to regulate the temp is extremely difficult.
I have read alot of the topics to know how to raise them, but still having troubles. We have been raising chicks have 6 months now with about the same results. This is the first bunch we found out about the vitamin supplement. No I dont know the name right off, it is in a gray bag.
We have lost chicks after they have gotten older. Some just literally act like they have no balance. That is when someone suggested the vitamin supplement.
Any advice is appreciated.
TX Christy

 

[Farm Frenzy]

It may be too hot. That's the first thing that came to mind when you said that they stayed on the edges of the brooder. Try maybe raising your light a little bit and see if that works.

 

[kycowgirlchick]

Not really the edge of the brooder itself the area where the light is hitting. I havent seen them at the walls furthest away from the light.

 

[Farm Frenzy]

Try putting a thermometer in there just to see how hot it is. And if it's not hot enough, they could be huddling together and getting smothered. I'm just brainstorming.

 

[cybercat]

If you have been feeding the same brand of chick starter I would change it asap. The fact you have to add a vit means your starter is not good enough. Otherwise you could grind it smaller and see if that helps or make a mush out if it. Chicks will find it easier to eat. If you do a mush since it will be wet you will have to remove it after they are done with the first round of eating or it will go bad.

 

[kycowgirlchick]

I have a thermometer in there with the probe on the floor under the light. It is staying between 90-98.
I started out using Tractor Supplies chick starter, but then started loosing babies. I could not find anywhere that it was medicated. So I switch to another brand that is medicated. I forget the name. I started using the vitamin supplement at the same time. Should I not need this if I am feeding a good feed.??

 

[Farm Frenzy]

The feed might have been bad. As in moldy, or something. Do you still have the bag that the feed was in? if you do, then check it really good for signs of mold or bugs or something. Sometimes those bags of feed can stay on the shelf for awhile and go bad, then the babies eat it, or even grown chickens and it poisens them.

 

[Farm Frenzy]

Also, if you are feeding a good feed, it has everything in it that the babies need. If you were also giving them a vitamin supplement, it could have been too much for their little systems, and created a toxin.

 

[kycowgirlchick]

Thanks Farm Frenzy for all of your help. We seem to have leveled off. I have been talking alot to other chicken breeder at an auction I just come from. They both said that for the 1st 48 hours they just gave them sugar water to build their energy up to get them started. I have also taken them off any pine shaving and put them on just newspaper.