I just posted my pics of my nipple watering system. Look at the pics and notice the baby in one of them that is bent over not looking real well. I have about 400 chicks in a 17' by 4' brooder. I posted pictures in the post below showing my watering system. I raised a lot last year in the same place with no problems. Now this year my first batch of 500 chicks ( about 6 weeks ago) I lost a lot of them probably around 200. I have lost 80 in 2 days and they are only 4 days old. They were fine the first 2 days. I keep racking my brain trying to figure out what I am doing wrong.... Here are all the facts and changes from last year when I didnt have any problems:
1. Im using a different type of bedding. It is pine with larger flakes and not saw dust type. They are on a concrete floor with at least 2 inches of bedding. Same as years past with no problems just changed the bedding type. Last years bedding was from TSC. This years from a local feed store.
2. I just added the new nipple watering system this hatch but the last hatch 6 weeks ago they were using gallon waterers with a narrow lip and still died. They appear to be getting plenty of water but they were last time too.
3. I put a thermometer in different spots right under the light it is much warmer but away from the light it is 90 degrees or so. They dont appear to be too cold, cause I dont see them all bunched up together. They are spread out nicely like normal feeding and drinking fine.
4. I have large birds in 3 seperate pens running perpendicular to them and havent lost a single one of them so I dont thing I have a disease issue.
5. The last hatch when I was losing them just like this time..... When the birds were 5 weeks old they were ready to come off the light I moved them to the large pen beside them and they stopped dying after the second day and I havent lost one since. They are now 6 weeks old and doing fine.
6. The barn seems a little warm but the thermometer is reading temps that are in line with what I always do.
7. I cut off 2 lamps tonight to test and see if they are getting too hot. We shall see in the morning. Just hope they dont chill now. I work EMS and wont be able to return until Sunday at 7:30am.
I think I have covered everything. Anybody have any ideas???? Im down to thinking its the bedding or they are getting too hot. Im at a loss and cant figure out what has changed from last year when I had zero issues other than the normal loss of a few here and there out of 500 or so birds.
1. Im using a different type of bedding. It is pine with larger flakes and not saw dust type. They are on a concrete floor with at least 2 inches of bedding. Same as years past with no problems just changed the bedding type. Last years bedding was from TSC. This years from a local feed store.
2. I just added the new nipple watering system this hatch but the last hatch 6 weeks ago they were using gallon waterers with a narrow lip and still died. They appear to be getting plenty of water but they were last time too.
3. I put a thermometer in different spots right under the light it is much warmer but away from the light it is 90 degrees or so. They dont appear to be too cold, cause I dont see them all bunched up together. They are spread out nicely like normal feeding and drinking fine.
4. I have large birds in 3 seperate pens running perpendicular to them and havent lost a single one of them so I dont thing I have a disease issue.
5. The last hatch when I was losing them just like this time..... When the birds were 5 weeks old they were ready to come off the light I moved them to the large pen beside them and they stopped dying after the second day and I havent lost one since. They are now 6 weeks old and doing fine.
6. The barn seems a little warm but the thermometer is reading temps that are in line with what I always do.
7. I cut off 2 lamps tonight to test and see if they are getting too hot. We shall see in the morning. Just hope they dont chill now. I work EMS and wont be able to return until Sunday at 7:30am.
I think I have covered everything. Anybody have any ideas???? Im down to thinking its the bedding or they are getting too hot. Im at a loss and cant figure out what has changed from last year when I had zero issues other than the normal loss of a few here and there out of 500 or so birds.
