pozees2
Crowing
@ChickenCanoe asked what I first wondered - were the chicks vaccinated for Marek's, Coccidiosis, or both? The vaccination for Marek's is available from every hatchery with a website I've visited, but the coccidiosis vaccination I've only seen at McMurray, although I'm sure others offer it and I just haven't seen it. If they were vaccinated for coccidiosis and you were using medicated feed that could be the problem.
What was the behavior of the chicks in general and right before they died, do you know? Were they active, eating and drinking, running around? Sleeping in a pile or far away from each other? What feed were they getting?
I started using puppy pads last year, and was careful not to get any that had anything added to mitigate odor, I worried it could create fumes that wouldn't be healthy for the chicks. I previously used only paper towels, and they worked just fine, they just got expensive, and in the event the little darlings managed to tip the waterer over when they got bigger and more rambunctious, the puppy pads did a much better job minimizing the mess, as you might imagine.
Sorry you're having difficulties, I agree with others recommending modifying the setup, allowing for cooler areas. I've had good luck using 106 gallon plastic storage containers for brooders, easy to clean and disinfect, long enough to keep the light only at one end, keeps the whole arrangement pretty self-contained and keeps the temperature pretty consistent (no drafts, etc.). I put the food and water on a couple pieces of 2x4 covered in paper towel that's changed every day when I clean the brooder, so it's up off the bottom and the 2x4s keep the waterer level.
What was the behavior of the chicks in general and right before they died, do you know? Were they active, eating and drinking, running around? Sleeping in a pile or far away from each other? What feed were they getting?
I started using puppy pads last year, and was careful not to get any that had anything added to mitigate odor, I worried it could create fumes that wouldn't be healthy for the chicks. I previously used only paper towels, and they worked just fine, they just got expensive, and in the event the little darlings managed to tip the waterer over when they got bigger and more rambunctious, the puppy pads did a much better job minimizing the mess, as you might imagine.
Sorry you're having difficulties, I agree with others recommending modifying the setup, allowing for cooler areas. I've had good luck using 106 gallon plastic storage containers for brooders, easy to clean and disinfect, long enough to keep the light only at one end, keeps the whole arrangement pretty self-contained and keeps the temperature pretty consistent (no drafts, etc.). I put the food and water on a couple pieces of 2x4 covered in paper towel that's changed every day when I clean the brooder, so it's up off the bottom and the 2x4s keep the waterer level.
