Every day a couple chicks die :(

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Lizab1205

Lizab1205

In the Brooder
7 Years
Jan 5, 2013
10
1
29
Ok so I usually incubate my own chicks but 2 weeks ago I went to tractor supply and bought about 150 chicks,.. As a brooder I use totes and heat lamps until they are feathered and then I let them be without the lamp until I feel they are big enough to survive outside.. which I have had very good luck with! Anyways... All the chick did just wonderful for about a week and a half and starting about 3 days ago I have had a couple chicks die on me each night? Im concerned that they are not getting enough water.. not that I dont give it to them but at night they fill the water dishes with shavings and Im not awake to scoop them out.... Starting tonight..I'm going to put electrolytes in their waters and hope for the best so that the little bit they do get before they fill it back up may go further. I know that I'm suppose to raise the dishes so that bedding in it is minimized but I just don't have anything to lift it with that wont take up lots of space... My question is... If my water is not my problem... does anyone have an idea why my chicks are dying? I'm getting fed up real fast of losing my babies :(
 
Hmmm...you sound like you know what you are doing so don't be insulted by my questions...
-is their brooder large enough that some are kept from the water? Could some be getting suffocated/trampled?
-is the heat lamp positioned so they can get away from the heat if needed? Are they too crowded to get away from it?
-can you elevate their water (like on a 2x6 or something) so they don't get as many shavings in the water?

I'd also suggest you post in the link below. Hope you get it solved. I hate losing chickens! Good luck to you!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/11/raising-baby-chicks
 
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well I have 11 totes that they are spit up in... My whole dining room wall is lined with totes.. I think they have enough room yet they all huddle together at night to sleep... Now when i find them dead the other chicks are usually all on top of it... Trampleing id definately a possibility.. I have already took the heat lamps away because they have their feathers in and they should be fine since they are in my house where its at least 70. No i dont get insulted lol im just desperate for ideas...thank you btw!
 
Hello and welcome to BYC
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Glad you joined us! I'm sorry to hear about your losses. How big are your brooders? The minimum recommended space per chick in a brooder is:


Up to 2 weeks: 0.5 sq ft per chick
2-4 weeks: 1 sq ft per chick
4-8 weeks: 2.5 sq ft per chick
Over 8 weeks: 4 sq ft per chick

And the recommended temperature for chicks are 95*F for the first week and after that lower the temperature by ± 5* per week until they are 6 weeks old. Then they should have enough feathers to enable them to regulate their body temperature. Hope that helps!
 
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from our farm in West Georgia. Re your chicks, in addition to space, what are you feeding them???

Are they on medicated chick starter...... That may be an issue with them That they may have cocci. What kind of shavings are you using?

Whenever our public water supply "cleans" the water, it dumps a great deal of chlorine. I can literally smell it. So we have switched to our well water and are having much happier babies. Good luck on these babies..........Good solid advice above in earlier posts !!! Have a blessed day!
 
Thank you all for the suggestions.. It has been 3 days since I posted this I believe and I had everything right it was some viral infection 'Im assuming that came with the chicks from T.S. I went and bought duramycin? Anyways...its the antibiotic powder and treated every single chick and will continue to treat them for the rest of the week, My problem is gone and I have not lost any more!!!! WOOOHOOOO!!!! plus...not that it makes up for it but the nice manager at tractor supply replaced 40 chicks for me!! Even though I don't believe I lost near that many! Oh btw... For anyone who has to use the antibiotics... I couldn't quite figure out how much I was suppose to give them because they tell you to give between 400-800 mg and the pouch it comes in in 5 grams so I was totally confused so I have just been mixing in about a teaspoon per gallon of hot water and then only filling half the bottle with the mix and filling the other half with cold water (reg water) and it has worked absolutely wonderful!!!
 
Happy to hear the remaining chicks are doing better. Usually when chicks pile up and sometimes suffocate each other, they are too cold.
 

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