Chicks peeping constantly- then die

[Ivy]

This spring we have had several of our silkie hens lay and set clucthes. What we have noticed is that occasionaly a newly hatched chick will peep ( like it's in distress- even if it is there with Mom. We have noticed that these chicks seem to die after a day or two- and we can't find a reason why- Food - chick crumbles- and water is avaliable, and these babies are being cared for by Momma. We are wondering why- this last clutch was three chicks, and two of the three are dead- the last one is doing the peeping thing.
If anyone has any idea what is happening to these babies, we would love to know- it is sad to watch and know what will happen, and not know what to do about it.

Ivy

 

[Danceswithchicks]

Mine are barred plymouth rocks and my chicks did the same thing. I do believe the cheeping is perfectly normal. I gave them everything, but they dropped dead. I'm sorry I don't have any information, but if you find any please let me know.

 

[robin416]

If its not a genetic problem or a problem with the breeders then you need to experiment.

Sometimes Mom wants to go wandering but the weather isn't quite warm enough for the peeps. What I do in that case is set a light up for them. In no time I'll find them hunkered under the warmth while Mom does her thing.

Another possibility is the feed. If the crumbles are not small enough they can not eat it. Try mashing some of them and mixing with warm water. See if that helps.

 

[M To The Maxx]

I'm sorry to hear that.

 

[Danceswithchicks]

I had them under a brooder lamp hmmm...

 

[sojeo]

My chicks wouldn't eat the crumbles unless I whizzed them up smaller in the blender. I don't think they started eating them as is until they were a couple weeks old. I think that could have very well have been the cause.

 

[Ivy]

This last batch, we had moved momma and babies into a small cage in the house; the chicks were doing the stressed peeping even under her. It does make me wonder if it isn't a genetic thing, but two of the three that the mom hatched weren't silkie, they were Bantam Old English (one of the hens must have laid her eggs in the silkie's nest, and they were all brooded together. We really don't need more chicks, we are already way over the top on chickens, cause we aren't supposed to raise "poultry" within the city limits. It is just that it is sad for it to happen.

Ivy

 

[Ivy]

sojeo,m
I think I will try that- it sure can't hurt.
Ivy

 

[insiderart]

I grind my crumbles for silkie/showgirl chicks (really all my bantam chicks) too. For a week or two they have the regular crumbles on offer, but I also grind crumbles to a powder. They hoover those powdered crumbles up!

So it's entirely possible your chicks are hungry.

 

[littlerattie]

I would second (or third) the possibility that they are, in fact, hungry.
If you hear them peeping check to see if their little crop has food in it. If not, force feed.
I have been feeding our little chicks with crookneck (details in another thread) and found after my initial fear of mortally harming our little guys it is really easy.
Wrap chick in light weight rag and put butt first into a coffee mug to hold the bugger upright (beats trying to hold a squirming, screaming chick while trying to get a lump of mush into an almost impossibly small opening that is flailing back and forth!).
Find the most comfortable way to grasp the beak and pry it open. For me, that was to have the back of the head towards the palm of my hand and then using my thumb and middle finger to pry the beak open.
I also found it was easiest to soak some type of food in water then form small lumps. For higher initial protein turtle food works delightfully well. Cat food works for a bit larger chicks. If you don't have pre-formed food then add water to their feed and mash it into a roll and cut that into little pea sized peices.
Take a lump and insert into the beak, as far back as possible. When we first started I would actually use a tweezers, or the end of the handle of a paring knife, or any other rather blunt object and poke the food down so I could barely see it anymore.
Force feed until the crop feels fullish, not hard, but full.
If they quit peeping (and dying) they are just too birdbrained to figure out how to get their beak working right! Force feed a couple times a day till they get the hang of eating.
I hope that is all the problem is!

Jayne