Hello everyone.
Sadly we lost 2 of our 4 week old chicks the other night. Found them dead in the morning. A few nights ago we were hanging out with them in the coop and decided it was warm enough that they would not need a heat lamp or any light source. When we tried to turn out the light and leave, they all started freaking out, chirping loudly. I gave them a little while but they wouldn't calm down so I turned a small light on for them and they calmed down. The next night, we made sure the light was out before it got dark and just let them go to bed with the natural light. They seemed to do just fine. No loud chirping once it got dark. They did seem pretty skittish the next morning when I opened the door and windows, but settled down quickly.
So we did the same the next night. Let them go to bed with the sun going down. Heard no stressed chirping once it got dark. And the next morning found two dead. We had no idea what had happened..a water had been knocked over and their feed bin turned over as if there were a struggle of some kind. I thought maybe something had gotten in the coop but now I believe the two chicks died and it attracted fire ants (the dead ones had some fire ants on them in the morning) I think some of the other chicks probably got bit and started jumping around, knocking stuff over at that point. We had to clean the whole coop, check the remaining chicks for ants and treated the area around the coop for ants.
So last night, we waited till dark and when we went to shut the door, they were all huddled in the corner, piled on each other. So we turned the light on and they settled down. Now we think this is how the two died, by being suffocated because they are afraid of the dark. I know they can't be huddling because they were cold...it had to be almost 90 degrees still in there.
Needless to say we are afraid to turn the light out at night now for fear of loosing more. I hate to not let them have a natural light cycle but don't really know what to do. Has anyone had this happen? I have been reading a lot here of people letting them be in the dark from day 1? Could it be because they are outside in the coop and can hear any noises/wind, etc?
Sadly we lost 2 of our 4 week old chicks the other night. Found them dead in the morning. A few nights ago we were hanging out with them in the coop and decided it was warm enough that they would not need a heat lamp or any light source. When we tried to turn out the light and leave, they all started freaking out, chirping loudly. I gave them a little while but they wouldn't calm down so I turned a small light on for them and they calmed down. The next night, we made sure the light was out before it got dark and just let them go to bed with the natural light. They seemed to do just fine. No loud chirping once it got dark. They did seem pretty skittish the next morning when I opened the door and windows, but settled down quickly.
So we did the same the next night. Let them go to bed with the sun going down. Heard no stressed chirping once it got dark. And the next morning found two dead. We had no idea what had happened..a water had been knocked over and their feed bin turned over as if there were a struggle of some kind. I thought maybe something had gotten in the coop but now I believe the two chicks died and it attracted fire ants (the dead ones had some fire ants on them in the morning) I think some of the other chicks probably got bit and started jumping around, knocking stuff over at that point. We had to clean the whole coop, check the remaining chicks for ants and treated the area around the coop for ants.
So last night, we waited till dark and when we went to shut the door, they were all huddled in the corner, piled on each other. So we turned the light on and they settled down. Now we think this is how the two died, by being suffocated because they are afraid of the dark. I know they can't be huddling because they were cold...it had to be almost 90 degrees still in there.
Needless to say we are afraid to turn the light out at night now for fear of loosing more. I hate to not let them have a natural light cycle but don't really know what to do. Has anyone had this happen? I have been reading a lot here of people letting them be in the dark from day 1? Could it be because they are outside in the coop and can hear any noises/wind, etc?