Chicks die in brooder help!

[blakemsnead1991]

I've had more than three batches in the same brooder before I put new birds in clean the floor out disinfect and reapply new quarry sand in the bottem temp is perfect box is 4x4ft has a vent and fresh water and food daily as well as a kitty litter scoop cleaning poop out every three days but seem to loose a bird every day or two I know some just dont make it! Anything I can give them to prevent disease and reduce stress one of my hatches lost 15 in one night... Only the strongest biggest chicks make it off the light and outside but the amount I'm loosing is awful out of 60 that hatch only 15 average to adult more than 3-5 weeks

 

[Odem0409]

You can always buy medicated chick starter to prevent some diseases and make sure that the light is close enough that they aren't shivering but not to close that they are panting. Be sure to always have water because they drink a lot! Some do die and this is actually a good thing because it takes weak birds out of your flock but be sure to keep up with they're daily needs. I hope your birds get better!

 

[yallapilko]

As an idea, try increasing your cleaning out to every day and see if that helps.
How many have you got in your 4x4 brooder?

 

[veggiecanner]

I've had 60 in a brooder, cleaned the floor as often as 3x a day.

 

[yallapilko]

My thoughts are that beyond a week or so old, this size of brooder is far too small. The problems that you may encounter because of size are piling, where chicks climb on each other and suffocate those at the bottom, air quality, drowning in water troughs, lack of room to run and jump, temperature regulation. Which brings me to my other thought: Do you have a direct heat source such as a heat lamp? Chicks can't regulate their own body temperature and need space to be able to move into the warmth and away again as they need. If they are all cramped together they could be over heating.
For chicks aged 2 weeks through to maturity at 5 or 6 weeks I would offer a minimum of 0.85 feet per bird. For 60 quail this would be 51 square feet, rather than the 16 you currently offer. So a brooder of around 7.5ftX7.5ft.
Hope this helps in some way!

 

[blakemsnead1991]

Thank you all but I only keep them in this brooder about 2 weeks and they have plenty of space to move in and out of heat plenty of fresh clean water medicated food and this must be a result of weak birds thanks for all comments and suggestions a bigger brooder is in the works for progressing ages birds.

 

[drumstick diva]

chicks shouldn't be outside till they are fully feathered. Except In extremely hot weather they usually have a heat lamp to keep temps (in part of the brooder) at 95 the first week, and then drop down 5 degrees with each passing week. Not only can they get smothered if other chicks pile on them to keep warm but, some may be bullied away from the water & feed and die from that.

Incubators/brooders should be fully cleaned and disinfected between hatches so any disease one batch has isn't passed on to another.

 

[jsheepdog]

did you check the water supply? if it is too deep and wide, they will drown if they dip their beak too deep into the water. many can die like this because the chicks haven't learnt to drink properly.

 

[GrandmaBird]

I do not know much about coturnix and the like but I do know that Buttons will eat the sand when very young and can get impacted croup and die from not being able to eat. But like I said I do not know about other types of quail.

 

[Tony K T]

What is the temperature in your brooder?Is their water too close to the heat?I had a problem with bobwhites dieing 4 or 5 a day.I called the guy I bought the eggs from and he said they had a sulfur deficency,and told me to add sulmet to their water supply once a week.I did the trick.It may also be a vitamin deficency.I would switch from sand as when they squat down and it can plug their butt.I have always used pine shaving and never had a problem with the birds eating them.
In N.H.,Tony.