Baby chicks keep dying

[pozees2]

It could be you've gotten some wrong recommendations, or just have had bad luck. You said you switched from a plastic to a metal container just like the store, and that you've made sure the temperature is 90-100. How do the chicks behave when they have been in the container a few hours - meaning, are they eating, drinking, then sleeping, and if sleeping are they piled up together or all spread out at the very edge of the container or the edge of where the heat lamp is most intense? What food and bedding were recommended? Are you using a bulb with a coating on it to prevent breakage (these off-gas something that kills birds)? Are you adding anything to their water?

 

[briarandwillow]

Were you watching for pasty butt?

 

[connieconnie]

I have been trying to raise baby chicks, I am buying them from tractor supply, I have the recommended food, bedding, heat lamp, but my chicks start to die after a day or 2 and by 4-5 days they’re all dead. I have the temp between 90-100 and have the lamp on one side so they have a cool off side, I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, I have done so much research and takes to so many people and am told I am doing everything right. Can someone please help I’m tired of seeing them die. I am not getting anymore until I can figure out what I’m doing wrong

I'm so sorry this has happened to you! I'm a first time chick owner too and I'm only on day 3, I can't imagine how disheartening it would be for them to die. I'm sorry I can't help, but I hope you find out what's happening and manage to succeed in raising a healthy flock!

If it's temperature, I've found that a temperature controller and sensor (that connect to your heat lamp) really helps maintain the perfect temp and not over heat or cool. But like I said, I'm a complete newbie.

Luckily there are so many nice and helpful people on this site that really know their stuff! best of luck

 

[Shelbydarienzo]

Were you watching for pasty butt?

Yes

 

[Shelbydarienzo]

It could be you've gotten some wrong recommendations, or just have had bad luck. You said you switched from a plastic to a metal container just like the store, and that you've made sure the temperature is 90-100. How do the chicks behave when they have been in the container a few hours - meaning, are they eating, drinking, then sleeping, and if sleeping are they piled up together or all spread out at the very edge of the container or the edge of where the heat lamp is most intense? What food and bedding were recommended? Are you using a bulb with a coating on it to prevent breakage (these off-gas something that kills birds)? Are you adding anything to their water?

 

[Shelbydarienzo]

It could be you've gotten some wrong recommendations, or just have had bad luck. You said you switched from a plastic to a metal container just like the store, and that you've made sure the temperature is 90-100. How do the chicks behave when they have been in the container a few hours - meaning, are they eating, drinking, then sleeping, and if sleeping are they piled up together or all spread out at the very edge of the container or the edge of where the heat lamp is most intense? What food and bedding were recommended? Are you using a bulb with a coating on it to prevent breakage (these off-gas something that kills birds)? Are you adding anything to their water?

Sometimes they would huddle and sometimes not, they seem fine then one will get weak then another and another, I have well water but I did switch to bottle water and added electrolytes from the feed store but it made no difference or it was too late
, they

 

[Criticalicious]

Another thing that can cause die-offs like this, is do you have bantam breeds in there? Is the food small enough for them to eat it?

You'll know if the babies are too warm or too cold almost immediately. Too warm = trying to get away from the heat source as far away as possible. Too cold and they will peep loudly and pile up for warmth.

 

[Shelbydarienzo]

Another thing that can cause die-offs like this, is do you have bantam breeds in there? Is the food small enough for them to eat it?

You'll know if the babies are too warm or too cold almost immediately. Too warm = trying to get away from the heat source as far away as possible. Too cold and they will peep loudly and pile up for warmth.

The food is small and what they feed them at the store but I don’t know what bantam breeds?

 

[Gallinarium]

Maybe the feed store is getting bad quality chicks, or not caring for them properly after arrival? Just a guess. It might be very much someone else's fault.

 

[Kgbao]

I have been trying to raise baby chicks, I am buying them from tractor supply, I have the recommended food, bedding, heat lamp, but my chicks start to die after a day or 2 and by 4-5 days they’re all dead. I have the temp between 90-100 and have the lamp on one side so they have a cool off side, I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, I have done so much research and takes to so many people and am told I am doing everything right. Can someone please help I’m tired of seeing them die. I am not getting anymore until I can figure out what I’m doing wrong

Your setup seems normal (will need a roof by week 3, they will fly right out trust me lol), looks like you bought then TSC starter box, and are using the same feeder/water/heatlamp I use. Looks like your using the TSC, premium pine shavings (yellow bag) same I am using.

Which water are you giving them? City, well, bottled?



To start I would, dump the bedding, bag and all, and get a new bag, might be the bedding was left outside in the rain or something and is bad.

Sterilize every inch feeders included, and start with fresh new bag of bedding.

Check the feed, make sure it is chick starter, not anything else. If getting it from TSC, should say Dumor chick starter 24%. Might be a bad bag of feed, look close. I will warn you the sniff test of the Dumor bag, it smells awful, I even questioned this when I opened mine, it smells bad but it’s the way it is.

Do you have a local feed and seed, or farm store? It’s possible the TSC has issues and your just getting sick chicks, maybe go to a local non big box store and order checks through them.