Dying chicks

[Anon19]

Ok, so, i hatched off 11 chicks, and one by one they started to die. Now there is only 1 left, and he seems to be dying too! What happens is, they go all sleepy and floppy and dont cheep at all, and their beak open and closes continuously. I really need help, a new batch of chicks are going to hatch soon, and i don't want them to die too

Please reply urgently!! thank you.

 

[starryeyes]

Are you sure they are not getiing to hot?

 

[RendonRoo]

Heat would be my first guess also. Good Luck

 

[Anon19]

Well atm im using a little 50 watt bulb in the house, i know this is too cold but i had to seperate them from the others who were i'll as they seem to spread it to others. When we had them under a 100 watt IR light, they were still dying. It seems to be like an airborn disease :S

 

[Kezzie]

What is the temperature in the brooder?

 

[Anon19]

it was 85f, 10f under the actually recommended but could 10f make a huge difference?

 

[C-Dub]

Regarding temperature...

I think that is probably too cold, but I only know what I have read. I am only two weeks into my first batch of chicks, but i just googled baby chick temperature, and this is what I read at one of 1,000,000 results.

Brooders should keep chicks at the proper temperature. Newly hatched chicks need to be maintained at 95 degrees Fahrenheit (F) for the first week of their lives. After the first week, chicks can tolerate temperatures 5 degrees F cooler for each week until they are four weeks old. In other words, one week old chicks can tolerate 90 degrees F and two week old chicks can tolerate 85 degrees F. The easiest way to heat a homemade brooder is with a light bulb or heat lamp (see figure 2). Suspend the heat source over the middle of the brooder. Observe the chick' behavior to get the brooder temperature right: they will huddle up in the middle directly under the heat source if the brooder is too cold and move to the edge of the brooder away from the heat source if it is too hot. When the brooder is at a comfortable temperature, the chicks will move about freely throughout the available space.

I had 12 chicks and used a 250w red heat lamp as recommended here and elsewhere. So far so good here. (fingers crossed)​

 

[annek]

Can you tell us a little more about them? Were they active when they were hatched or have they always been lethargic? What are you feeding them? Are they getting plain water? What kind of bedding are they on? When did this start? Poop? Tell us as much as you can, there isn't enough to go on.

 

[SangaChicken]

Have you seen them eat or drink? We need a lot more information!

 

[Anon19]

I did see them eating and drinking, they were fairly lively when they hatched and seemed fine until about 2 or 3 days old.. we are feeding them on average chick crumb, and we have changed the brand after the first couple died, still no luck. They are having plain water, and are on shredded news paper (big enough so they cant eat it, still not sure what to have as there actual bedding tho, any suggestions?) They poop normally, but every likr 2 days they get a clogged bum and i clean it with warmish water, then i dry them thoroughly.