EMERGENCY!! Chicks keep dieing, I need help!

[DUCKGIRL89]

My mom ordered 60 white orpingtons fro mcmurray, and we only have 18 left. When we got them home, yesterday morning, I got the heat lamps set up (one on each side of the stock tank) put lots of hay, to keep them warm, gave food and water and made sure the cats couldn't get in. They kept dieing so I'm like what the heck! So I brought them all in ( the 18 that are left. there may be more but they don't stand still) but they are still kinda dieing. 2 more just died.

their symptoms are that they get tired, then they just sit there, I dip their beak in the water to see if their thirsty, nothing. Then they get soooo tired that they fall over and don't move, just breath. then they die! Any ideas on what this could be?

I don't want them all to die, their just soooo cute !

Thanks in advance!

 

[refamat]

almost sounds like they are running out of energy and quitting doesn't it. Did you see them eating at all?

 

[yinepu]

How long were they in transit to get to you?


I never start chicks out on hay
It's too hard for them to find their food

I would move them to paper towels with a section that has shelf liner to help prevent splay legs

then sprinkle feed onto the paper towels

have they been cheeping any?


If they stay huddled together they are too cold.. cheeping is always a sign of distress... like being too cold or too hot

You said you have heat lamps on all four sides of the brooder? Are they possibly getting too hot? Normally i have a hot side and a cool side of the brooder.. so the chicks can regulate their warmth... they can go closer to the lamp if they are too cold and can move away if they are too hot (I have no idea what the temps are where the brooder is located.. so it's just a guess which is why I am explaining this)

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

I brought them in, seems to be doing better. They get all lethargic and then die. I think they were cold. they are doing better now. Thanks!

 

[yinepu]

Also.. did you add any sugar or sav-a-chick to the water when you first got them?.. sounds like they could be hypoglycemic

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Well, we had them outside, on the porch, but we think their was a draft. We brought them in. With only one heat lamp. And they were in transit for 2 days. Something wrong with the usps. They all started dieing right after we brought them home. The hatchery are sending more I think. I don't know. I just care for the chicks.

 

[yinepu]

Well, we had them outside, on the porch, but we think their was a draft. We brought them in. With only one heat lamp. And they were in transit for 2 days. Something wrong with the usps. They all started dieing right after we brought them home. The hatchery are sending more I think. I don't know. I just care for the chicks.

drafts can be a killer

If they were mine I would try putting a little brown or white sugar in their water.. then dip beaks again.. plus switch over to something where they can see the feed to help encourage them to peck at it.
the sugar will also help stimulate their appetites

having them in the house is a big plus.. I never start new birds outside.. they are always inside until I know they are eating well and have made it through at least the first week (lol.. even if it's in the middle of the summer)

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Its gonna be hard to have 70 chicks inside. But we don't want them to die. We never have our birds inside. This will be a first. I tell her its not safe for newborns outside, she didn't get it till now.

 

[missnu01]

I am also getting ready to have to deal with this...although I think my chicks will be fine in an outdoor building with heat lights, as it will be march before I have them. I can not possibly keep the chicks inside...there is just nowhere to put them...All rooms are in use, and we already have too much stuff for the size of place we have. Lol. So they have to be outside..but the building is concrete and totally enclosed...not a warm place, but no drafts, with the heat lamps they should be fine. I don't want anything to die on me either though.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

OK, so I have 19 running around and doing great. theres one thats not doing so hot, but I dont know what to do. I did put sugar in the water though.