Chicls wobble and drop dead

[IsabelleButterscotch]

A couple days ago we got chicks. They were pretty young, just 3-4 days and one was even younger, maybe 2 days old. We got 24 cornish cross, and 1 easter egger, 1 lavender orpington, 1 salmon faverolle, and 1 barred rock. They are maybe a week now. This morning they were okay. Eating and drinking and running like usual. I went out there a couple hours later and 15 are dead. Just dropped scattered around the pen. One even dropped into the water and drowned. The alive ones were huddled together (their light was warm and it was pretty warm last night and today) but started to scatter around. They were stumbling around and didnt have the strength to hold themselves up. Two I thought were dead moved when I picked them up. They were dying. I dont know what to do or what caused this.

 

[Chicky Lover]

Could they have had a heart attack?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your chicks. Were you keeping the heat temperature around 85-90degrees in the warmest spot under the light? A small thermometer on the floor is good for that. Did they know where food and water was, and did you show them how to eat and drink when they first arrived? What type of waterer were you using? Did you notice if any had stuck poop on their bottoms (pasty butt?)

They sound like they were dehydrated. Had they been drinking? Were the chicks shipped to you or a feed store? Sometimes those can suffer showing shipping stress up to a week or more. The cornish cross are meat birds of course, and will grow very quickly usually being ready to butcher by 6-9 weeks old. Sorry for all of the questions, but it helps to know details of their history to answer questions.

 

[IsabelleButterscotch]

Could they have had a heart attack?

I doubt it; they all died together as if it was contagious

 

[IsabelleButterscotch]

Sorry about your chicks. Were you keeping the heat temperature around 85-90degrees in the warmest spot under the light? A small thermometer on the floor is good for that. Did they know where food and water was, and did you show them how to eat and drink when they first arrived? What type of waterer were you using? Did you notice if any had stuck poop on their bottoms (pasty butt?)

They sound like they were dehydrated. Had they been drinking? Were the chicks shipped to you or a feed store? Sometimes those can suffer showing shipping stress up to a week or more. The cornish cross are meat birds of course, and will grow very quickly usually being ready to butcher by 6-9 weeks old. Sorry for all of the questions, but it helps to know details of their history to answer questions.

It wasnt too warm; they were not spread out with their wings out. One had a little on her butt but it was not pasty butt. She is still alive actually. We picked them up at a feed store and for 2 or 3 days, I cant remember, they were all perfectly eating and drinking. We dipped their beaks in water and even the layers (who I paid particular attention to) died. We were using the typical waterer with the trough at the bottom and the tank on top.

 

[Punkybrewster]

What are you using for heat. If its a heat lamp, what type?

 

[sdm111]

Did they look puffed up? Like their feathers like they may have been cold? Were they lethargic? What I'm getting at is possible cocci. That kills them pretty quickly

 

[Punkybrewster]

Are you using shavings? What type?

 

[IsabelleButterscotch]

What are you using for heat. If its a heat lamp, what type?

I'm not exactly sure, but it had the red bulb... I dont know much about heat lamps but the same one worked before

 

[IsabelleButterscotch]

Did they look puffed up? Like their feathers like they may have been cold? Were they lethargic? What I'm getting at is possible cocci. That kills them pretty quickly

No, they werent puffed up, but they were practically sitting there lethargic. Every time they walked they stumbled androlled over.