chick passed away...

[SkeksisNV]

Hello all. New to this chicken raising thing. I had 5 chicks that are about 5 weeks old now. Still have them in a brooder with a red lamp. I used wood shavings from the feed store as their bedding that I change every 2 or 3 days. Fresh water and food every day.

Recently one of the Rhode Island Reds seem to become aggressive. He or she would run up to the other chicks and jump at em like they were chest bumping and would peck at them every now and then. Last night, I heard one of the chicks getting pretty vocal. I got up out of bed to check on things and this same chick had gotten out of the brooder. I walked up and started petting him/her and he/she was calm. I picked it up and placed it back in the brooder and everything seemed all well and fine. Woke up this morning and it looks like she is sleeping but breathing very heavy. I noticed the other chicks walked on top of it and started pecking at its beak casually. I shoo'd them away and kept an eye on her/him. My boys were with me. All of a sudden the chick started doing cartwheels and spinning around and stopped. About when minute later all movement stopped including the breathing. I inspected the chick and couldn't find any physical damage to it. Any ideas as to what could have happened?

 

[EmilyChickens]

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss! Where did you get the chicks? It could've just been unhealthy from the hatchery/brooder and it's system just decided to quit after awhile. I had a chicken from a hatchery that wasn't right from the start. It only laid soft shell eggs, and was just very sickly, she was just unhealthy... it happens sometimes, sadly, but at least we know that your chick isn't suffering anymore.

By how you put how it was acting, maybe it had brain problems? The rolls and moving sound rather weird though...


Sorry, this is just sort of trying to make you feel better not really what could've happened >.<

 

[HickoryHollow]

Hello all. New to this chicken raising thing. I had 5 chicks that are about 5 weeks old now. Still have them in a brooder with a red lamp. I used wood shavings from the feed store as their bedding that I change every 2 or 3 days. Fresh water and food every day.

Recently one of the Rhode Island Reds seem to become aggressive. He or she would run up to the other chicks and jump at em like they were chest bumping and would peck at them every now and then. Last night, I heard one of the chicks getting pretty vocal. I got up out of bed to check on things and this same chick had gotten out of the brooder. I walked up and started petting him/her and he/she was calm. I picked it up and placed it back in the brooder and everything seemed all well and fine. Woke up this morning and it looks like she is sleeping but breathing very heavy. I noticed the other chicks walked on top of it and started pecking at its beak casually. I shoo'd them away and kept an eye on her/him. My boys were with me. All of a sudden the chick started doing cartwheels and spinning around and stopped. About when minute later all movement stopped including the breathing. I inspected the chick and couldn't find any physical damage to it. Any ideas as to what could have happened?

Do you have a red light, or a white light in your brooder? A red light reduces fighting and pecking tremendously!

 

[SkeksisNV]

I got the chicks at a feed store. I don't know where they get em from.

I do keep a red light on them. This past week, I have been Turing it off at night.

 

[MommaHen77]

I am sorry for the Loss of you chick put