Chicks keep dying 1 at a time!!! Help!!

[Semperfi]

I bought 40 chicks hatched on Jan 15... I have them in an outside coop in a brooder cage with cardboard boxes all around. I have 2 250 watt heat lamps with red bulbs. I have adjusted the height so that the temp I feel is just right, the chicks don't huddle up in a ball and they don't spread out too much either. I am feeding them medicated purina chick food, and water. I have straw bedding that I clean out weekly. The chicks keep dying one at a time... The chicks also are getting pasty butt very very bad... I clean their butts with warm water and lube with olive oil, and then a day or two later its bad again. Some of them become very weak and then die a day or two later... I have lost on average 1 per day since I got them. I have read many forums online and tried apple cider vinegar and nothing changes. I went to the local feed store and bought vitamins and that has done nothing either. What could be my issue? What should I do different? The coop is quite large and I have other 2 month old chickens inside that free range and are also still under a heat lamp and they all seem happy and healthy. I feel bad that I can't keep them alive...
Advice please..

P.S. I live in Washington and the temp at night hovers above freezing...

 

[GarthRyan]

Maybe they're eating the straw and it's clogging up their insides keeping them from being able to eat and digest properly and causes the poopy butt? Can cold breezes blow in on them? (although I think that would kill more than one at a time..) Maybe try switching the bedding with pine shavings. I'm no expert though, maybe someone with more experience will lend a hand with an idea.

 

[AmyWho]

Are you sure it's pasty butt and not coccidiosis?

 

[Semperfi]

I will try changing the bedding tomorrow to pine shavings, they do play with the bedding, no more than the others do though...

I don't see any traces of blood or signs of coccidiosis, I change the water everyday and sometimes twice a day if it looks like they got into it, I also feed the medicated fees, wouldn't the protect them?

 

[GarthRyan]

Try to get the coarse flakes, where I get mine (tractor supply), they have fine and coarse and I feel that they could eat the fine shreds.
I used medicated feed with my chicks although I never did any reading about what the medication protects them from.

 

[AmyWho]

I'm not an expert on it, but I've heard that not all medicated feed is meant to help with cocci.
It sounds like they would all die around the same time if it was too, as they'd probably have been exposed at the same time.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/coccidiosis-and-medicated-feed

 

[farnorth]

Not sure what is going on but will give a couple suggestions anyway.

Maybe there is too much Vinegar in the water and they don't like it and therefor aren't drinking enough water.

Try plain water for a couple of days.

I gave my chicks half rolled oats and half chick starter when I first got them because I heard rolled oats helped prevent pasty butt.

Try mixing half chick starter and half rolled oats for a couple of days (or longer if it helps).

Neither of my suggestions could hurt them so that's what I would try.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Medicated feed is no guarantee against coccidiosis. It helps but they can and often do still come down with it, that's why many feel it's value is debatable. You also will not necessarily see blood in their poop. To my way of thinking, multiple deaths in that age group IS a possible sign of coccidiosis. I would strongly suggest getting some Corid and running a course of treatment to rule it out if nothing else. If you do have coccidiosis in this group, which is extremely common, you'll save the rest of them.

I would also get a thermometer and check that temperature to be sure they have a spot where they can warm up to around 85 or 90 degrees. If they are to cold their bodies just start shutting down.

 

[jjaazzy]

I give mine Gatorade via syringe. They go nuts for it. I just push the plunger till a little bubble forms at the bottom. Once they get the hang of it you can just slowing keep pushing the plunger... The first few days I try to go in every couple of hours. I even make a game out of it by running some bubbles of Gatorade down the sides of the tub... I feel bad for them it must be boring in there. LOL... Anyway I feel it gives them extra energy to eat more. I know it helps the little ones when they are starting to fail. I got a product called Poultry Drench in case things start to go south for this group... people swear by it. Maybe you could look into it.

 

[seminolewind]

Grind the crumbles down smaller. Maybe they're too big.