Dying, balding baby cornish cross chicks

[kriscarr]

My husband and I purchased 50 cornish cross chicks on 4/29. We have lost 12 of them so far. They look like they have bald spots on them. We have been giving them medicated feed and water and have them in a plastic pool with straw. We have a lamp above them. They are out in the garage. We dont know what we are doing wrong. I have a picture of one of them but dont know how to post it on this page.

 

[dave_Cash69]

host the picture on www.imageshack.us
in order for me to help you id have to see what they looked like.

 

[mypicklebird]

That is a lot of chicks in a swimming pool, are they smothering each other (crowding together and squishing each other). When does it happen? At night? Did they all die at the same time? Are the feathers missing/plucked? Are they wounded at all? Inspect them carefully (live ones too) for mites/lice- chicks can die rapidly if they are infested. What is the temp under the lamp. How old are they? Any respiratory signs?

 

[kriscarr]

I tried to upload a picture from image shack and it doesnt seem to be working. I will try again when my husband gets back. We had about 9 of them die overnight the first night that we got them and then a couple more the following day and then another. There are some that have little bald pink spots on the top area of their wings. But then some of them look worse off than others. The one I am most concerned about is getting very bald and seems to be losing energy.

 

[kriscarr]

Please help! Can anyone tell me if the raw/bald spots are from mites? See picture attached

 

[jenjscott]

cornish rock crosses tend to grow to big for their feathers. Mine looked half bald forever. The skin does not look raw. Not knowing where you live, Or what the temperatures are, I would have to think either too hot or too cold. But sometimes they just die. Were they shipped? I would get rid of the straw and use pine shavings. Not cedar. If you don't have a thermometer, you can gauge temp by if the chicks are piling under the light or getting as far away from it as possible.

 

[dave_Cash69]

Quote:
This is my theory also.
Hope all is well.