Chicks fine, then dying in less than 2-3 hours. What's going on?

[bleustockings]

Hi there,

I've been keeping chickens for almost 10 years, and this has me stumped. I bought 10 chicks (5 golden comet, 5 black jersey giant) on Friday. Check on them every few hours except overnight. Yesterday morning about 9am, checked, they all seemed fine. 2 hours later one was almost dead, gasping for air. Tried to revive her, no success. About 5pm, same thing (this one was already dead). Had checked on them a couple hours previous, seemed fine. This morning, one is obviously sick (hunched, not moving, eyes shut), pulled her out so she wouldn't get trampled and have her in a towel in my shirt to keep her warm.

The only thing I've changed about my setup this year is I'm using a Brinsea Safety 600 instead of a red heat lamp. It seems to be putting off adequate heat (admittedly this is hard to measure because a thermometer won't register radiant heat), and all three sick/dying/dead chicks were under it when I found them. It is set as low as it can be for them to still be able to get under it. They're in the garage, away from drafts.

The last chick IS smaller than the others and seems thin, but the first two that died were large, not thin, nothing to indicate they were sick until I found them dead/dying. They're on medicated feed. I've ordered a bottle of Corid to pick up at TSC as soon as they pull it from the shelf and call me to say it's ready for curbside pickup.

So, my questions: Could they be freezing to death in 2 hours? Is this radiant heater a piece of crap? Could it be coccidiosis in such a short period of decline? Is there something I'm missing?

Thanks!

 

[boskelli1571]

Ares there any drafts in the brooder? I used a similar heat plate for some chicks and finally figured that the area itself was cold - cold floor despite shavings, draft was finding its way in and chilling them desperately.
Try to ensure that their brooding area is small enough to retain the heat in the area.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Could it be coccidiosis in such a short period of decline? Is there something I'm missing?

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

Sorry for your loss.

Sounds more like pasty butt which is deadly fast.

Also... could be failure to thrive... if they weren't connecting with food or somehow not able to digest it once their yolk was all used up. Most likely the earlier.

Blocked crop... if they ate shaving. Less likely.

NO, it's too soon for coccidiosis to be having this effect... it takes at least 6 days after exposure before symptoms present.

Thermometer not needed... go by chick behavior.. if they're piling on top of each other trying to get warm, loud peeping and mad... then it isn't warm enough. If they sleep normally and hang out happily then temp is likely fine.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

10 chicks (5 golden comet, 5 black jersey giant) on Friday. Check on them every few hours except overnight. Yesterday morning about 9am, checked, they all seemed fine. 2 hours later one was almost dead, gasping for air. Tried to revive her, no success. About 5pm, same thing (this one was already dead). Had checked on them a couple hours previous, seemed fine. This morning, one is obviously sick (hunched, not moving, eyes shut),

I'm using a Brinsea Safety 600 instead of a red heat lamp.

all three sick/dying/dead chicks were under it when I found them. It is set as low as it can be for them to still be able to get under it.

I'm sorry for your losses.

The gasping is concerning.
How old are they?
They are in the garage - any fumes, gas, cars running, etc.?

It is interesting that the only thing you have changed in 10yrs is the heat source. Do you have any of your old lamps? I would be inclined to brood the remaining chicks as you have always done to see if that changes anything.

 

[bleustockings]

Sounds more like pasty butt which is deadly fast.

Also... could be failure to thrive... if they weren't connecting with food or somehow not able to digest it once their yolk was all used up. Most likely the earlier.

Blocked crop... if they ate shaving. Less likely.

NO, it's too soon for coccidiosis to be having this effect... it takes at least 6 days after exposure before symptoms present.

Thermometer not needed... go by chick behavior.. if they're piling on top of each other trying to get warm, loud peeping and mad... then it isn't warm enough. If they sleep normally and hang out happily then temp is likely fine.

No pasty butts, checked for that. In fact, the gasping chick pooped just fine while I was trying to warm her up and revive her.

They are staying mostly under the heater, but not huddling against each other. The others still run in and out to eat/drink.

The gasping is concerning.
How old are they?
They are in the garage - any fumes, gas, cars running, etc.?

Probably about 5-6 days old (can't be sure, they're hatchery chicks from TSC). Nothing in the garage to give off fumes, no car, etc. Have successfully brooded chicks in there before (I do usually move them to a covered patio after a week or so, into a larger brooder with heat lamp).

Not liking this heater, probably going back to my heat lamps. Wanted less fire hazard but not at the expense of my chicks :[

 

[Wyorp Rock]

No pasty butts, checked for that. In fact, the gasping chick pooped just fine while I was trying to warm her up and revive her.

They are staying mostly under the heater, but not huddling against each other. The others still run in and out to eat/drink.



Probably about 5-6 days old (can't be sure, they're hatchery chicks from TSC). Nothing in the garage to give off fumes, no car, etc. Have successfully brooded chicks in there before (I do usually move them to a covered patio after a week or so, into a larger brooder with heat lamp).

Not liking this heater, probably going back to my heat lamps. Wanted less fire hazard but not at the expense of my chicks :[

Nothing else changed except the heat plate - using the same type feed, bedding, brooder material, etc.? Is feed fresh/what's the mill date?

I do understand the concern about fire hazard. I started using a heating pad system a few years ago and love it - homemade with a heating pad like you use for humans.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand - I think I would try the old heat lamps and see if they do better. I have no experience with the plates, but if that's the main change, then going back to what you have always done is what I would do and go from there.

You got 5 GC and 5 JG - it is both breeds you are losing or just one?

 

[bleustockings]

Nothing else changed except the heat plate - using the same type feed, bedding, brooder material, etc.? Is feed fresh/what's the mill date?

I do understand the concern about fire hazard. I started using a heating pad system a few years ago and love it - homemade with a heating pad like you use for humans.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand - I think I would try the old heat lamps and see if they do better. I have no experience with the plates, but if that's the main change, then going back to what you have always done is what I would do and go from there.

You got 5 GC and 5 JG - it is both breeds you are losing or just one?

Nothing else has changed from the usual routine I've used the last several years. Feed should be fine and was purchased recently but I dumped it into a feed bin and tossed the bag so can't be sure of mill date. I have another unopened bag so I'll swap it out.

I'm gonna set my heat lamp back up and return this heating pad.

The first two chicks were the GCs. This one that's currently on a heating pad in my lap is a JG. The JG seems spraddle-legged and smaller than the others so I think she might be a separate issue than the first 2 GCs, which seemed just fine until they weren't.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Nothing else has changed from the usual routine I've used the last several years. Feed should be fine and was purchased recently but I dumped it into a feed bin and tossed the bag so can't be sure of mill date. I have another unopened bag so I'll swap it out.

I'm gonna set my heat lamp back up and return this heating pad.

The first two chicks were the GCs. This one that's currently on a heating pad in my lap is a JG. The JG seems spraddle-legged and smaller than the others so I think she might be a separate issue than the first 2 GCs, which seemed just fine until they weren't.

Keep us posted on how it goes.
If you have some poultry vitamins like Poultry Nutri-Drench - If they were mine, I would give each one a direct dose of 2-3 drops twice a day too to give them a boost.

 

[bleustockings]

Update:

I still lost another chick after moving them into a brooder with heat lamp, so I don't think that was the issue. Now that they are being treated with Corid, I haven't lost any others. Hopefully that's the issue and won't have any more losses. Thanks everyone for your input!