Chick loss

[LaFemmeKatia]

I woke up this morning to find another of my baby chicks died sometime during the night.
I bought four chickens three days ago at Tractor supply. They are my first chickens. I made a brooder with a cardboard box, bought a heat lamp, I am using pine shavings for bedding. I keep their water and food clean. I feed them Dumor chick starter, that is what the store was feeding them.
The first fatality was yesterday, and that chick was weak and sleepy, and just faded.
This chick was perky and happy last night before I went to bed. Eating and drinking water.
The remaining two are happy and appear healthy too.
What could the problem be?

 

[Lilalienangel]

Pine shavings.
It can be toxic
Also how are your temps.
Are their vents clear?

 

[BabasCoop]

Pine shavings.
They are toxic to chicks..
Ceder is ok
Not pine.

Umm. I’m sorry but that is not correct. Pine is actually better than cedar. And Cedar has toxic properties that can kill chicks.
Most people brooder their chicks with pine shavings.
I would actually tend to think it is the cardboard box with the heat lamp. They are possibly over heating. Cardboard retains heat.

 

[chickenchicklady]

Pine shavings.
They are toxic to chicks..
Ceder is ok
Not pine.

This is incorrect. It’s the reverse, actually. Cedar shavings are toxic.

 

[chickenchicklady]

Did any of the chicks have Pasty butt?

 

[Lilalienangel]

Look it up. I screwed up with ceder and fixed it but look at the studies of toxicity to mammals.. Pine is toxic too. I figured it out by almost loosing a chick..

 

[Lilalienangel]

I just woke up and got mixed up but look up the studies of pines toxicity to mammals.

 

[Lilalienangel]

Some of the studies are within.
https://www.forloveoflivestock.com/blog/toxic-chicken-coop-pine-shavings

 

[Lilalienangel]

However as I asked before the temps are needed.. Overheating is a big thing.. Combine that with respiratory distress :/...

 

[Lilalienangel]

Umm. I’m sorry but that is not correct. Pine is actually better than cedar. And Cedar has toxic properties that can kill chicks.
Most people brooder their chicks with pine shavings.
I would actually tend to think it is the cardboard box with the heat lamp. They are possibly over heating. Cardboard retains heat.

Cardboard box is a problem that would exasperate the dust issue. It has nowhere to go but down over the chicks..