Did strawberries kill my baby chicks???

[JenMoutz]

My two baby chicks were not eating their starter feed but we're drinking plenty of water and running around happily. I tried 'pecking' at their feed but they showed no interest. So one evening I added very small pieces of strawberry tossed in with their feed so they could get the taste for the feed. The next morning every last bit of strawberries and feed were gone, they ate every last bit. I was so happy until that afternoon one of them had died. He was the weaker of the two so i figured the strawberries were a coincidence. So last night I gave the other chick a small amount of strawberries and now this morning he is laying down and faintly chirping. I don't think he will make it much longer. I'm so sad, did I kill my babies?? The first to die was 5 days old and the other is 7 days old. We're they too young for fruit or were the strawberries a coincidence? Also I didn't provide any extra grit because the strawberries were mixed in with their starter feed. Should I have still provided extra?? Where did I go wrong, please help! Also they were in a huge tote with a heat lamp, pine shavings, plenty of fresh water, starter feed and also a stuffed animal to keep them company so I don't think their environment was an issue.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I doubt it was the strawberries. I imagine if they were out with a hen in the spring, she would have shown them the berries.

I usually don't feed anything but starter feed till they're at least 5 weeks. Perhaps grit would have been a good idea when providing anything other than starter. In fact, it's a good idea to provide grit no matter what they're eating.
When I don't have a hen with them, I keep them on paper towels for the first few days and sprinkle the feed on them along with some crumbled hard boiled egg, in addition to a feeder with starter in it. They'll naturally peck at whatever is at their feet so this way they find out what feed is and will be eating it out of the feeder in no time. After that, I put them on shavings. I have heard of chicks eating shavings and getting impacted.

It may very well have been nothing you did. They may have just been weak. Just make sure they aren't too hot. A heat lamp in a tote can often make it too hot. If I'm using a tote for a couple chicks, I use something closer to 75-100 watts.

 

[JenMoutz]

Thanks for the response. I will definitely try the paper towels next time, great idea! They pecked at their shavings often although I'm not sure if they actually ate them. And as for the heat, I have them in a huge tote, not to sound morbid but coffin size. I know that's a little much but I will be doing multiple hatches in the future with various amounts of babies. I have a screen sitting on top and the heat lamp with a 250 watt bulb that rests right above one side of the screen. I have a thermometer on the wall of the side where the heat lamp is and it reads around 82 so I imagine directly under the lamp it is much warmer, but do you think that would be too warm? I hate being new at this and having to learn through trial and error at the expense of the lives of these sweet baby chicks!

 

[gander007]

I doubt it was the strawberries. I imagine if they were out with a hen in the spring, she would have shown them the berries.

I usually don't feed anything but starter feed till they're at least 5 weeks. Perhaps grit would have been a good idea when providing anything other than starter. In fact, it's a good idea to provide grit no matter what they're eating.
When I don't have a hen with them, I keep them on paper towels for the first few days and sprinkle the feed on them along with some crumbled hard boiled egg, in addition to a feeder with starter in it. They'll naturally peck at whatever is at their feet so this way they find out what feed is and will be eating it out of the feeder in no time. After that, I put them on shavings. I have heard of chicks eating shavings and getting impacted.

It may very well have been nothing you did. They may have just been weak. Just make sure they aren't too hot. A heat lamp in a tote can often make it too hot. If I'm using a tote for a couple chicks, I use something closer to 75-100 watts.

I do need to agree here as this is what I do for the most part and the mashed up egg is
what I give to all my chicks as my Grandpa showed me back in the 60's ....
Next time put some Probiotic & Electrolyte in their water and some cooked mashed up egg's
with chick starter and most chicks really do not start eating till around day 3 or 4 as all they
need is inside them from their egg hatching .....
And I only give chick starter and egg's and the part of the egg that is not eaten in 15 minutes
need's to be removed and tossed ....

For their brooder you will need enough room for them to run in and out of the heat that it very
important for the little guys ......

If you are going to put in wood chips please wait for them to finish their 2nd week of life and
as passing into week 3 then you can put them in ......




gander007

 

[JenMoutz]

Great info! Thanks so much!! One quick question...do you also provide chick grit when giving the mashed egg?

 

[lazy gardener]

Was the temp under the lamp at the level of the chick's backs between 90 - 95 degrees? That's the goal temp. during the first week of life. Were the strawberries washed? I'd wait until the chicks were eating their starter feed well before giving them any treats. then, portion sizes need to be appropriate, starting with just a tiny taste. I agree with PP that grit is good to add right away.

 

[gander007]

Great info! Thanks so much!! One quick question...do you also provide chick grit when giving the mashed egg?

No I do not, just the egg's mashed as this is not just a treat but like a vitamin and nutrient supplement that is to promote growth and good health and just watch the feathers grow on the chicks compared to chicks who do not get the egg's ......

gander007

 

[PDXJULES]

Thanks for the response. I will definitely try the paper towels next time, great idea! They pecked at their shavings often although I'm not sure if they actually ate them. And as for the heat, I have them in a huge tote, not to sound morbid but coffin size. I know that's a little much but I will be doing multiple hatches in the future with various amounts of babies. I have a screen sitting on top and the heat lamp with a 250 watt bulb that rests right above one side of the screen. I have a thermometer on the wall of the side where the heat lamp is and it reads around 82 so I imagine directly under the lamp it is much warmer, but do you think that would be too warm? I hate being new at this and having to learn through trial and error at the expense of the lives of these sweet baby chicks!

A very large tote may not have stayed warm enough? At 7 days Chicks need 90 degrees to thrive. Warmer the full first week until they avoid the warmest section of the brooder. I keep a Digital sensor thermometer down at their level and check it often to make adjustments. Out of 15 Chicks I still had one fail to grow and thrive after her first week. S/he was small and got stepped on the others who grew fast the 2nd week, and did not try to compete for food unless i brought in a scrambleded egg. I miss her but am having fun with the others and they sure keep you busy! They've been outside the past to days for foraging, and get a little Chick-size grit every couple days. just had a bit of Strawberry today - at almost 4 weeks and went nuts for it! I'll let you know if any croak!

 

[Flockincrazy]

My two baby chicks were not eating their starter feed but we're drinking plenty of water and running around happily. I tried 'pecking' at their feed but they showed no interest. So one evening I added very small pieces of strawberry tossed in with their feed so they could get the taste for the feed. The next morning every last bit of strawberries and feed were gone, they ate every last bit. I was so happy until that afternoon one of them had died. He was the weaker of the two so i figured the strawberries were a coincidence. So last night I gave the other chick a small amount of strawberries and now this morning he is laying down and faintly chirping. I don't think he will make it much longer. I'm so sad, did I kill my babies?? The first to die was 5 days old and the other is 7 days old. We're they too young for fruit or were the strawberries a coincidence? Also I didn't provide any extra grit because the strawberries were mixed in with their starter feed. Should I have still provided extra?? Where did I go wrong, please help! Also they were in a huge tote with a heat lamp, pine shavings, plenty of fresh water, starter feed and also a stuffed animal to keep them company so I don't think their environment was an issue.

I highly doubt it was the strawberries if they were wild there mom would have let them eat strawberries. It could have been the pine shavings young chicks can get respiratory problems from pine i use straw after i get them home till they go outside