:( Found 3 week old Roo dead this morning, was Fine last night?

[kelseygirl707]

This morning I checked my babies before leaving for work, I moved them out to a big brooder out in the Garage on Friday, and I found my little roo on his back dead... He was fine last night, at about 6pm I checked on them, and I picked him up and pet him for a few, he seemed fine. Now it is cold here at night, around 40 degrees, But I have one of the 250 watt red bulbs about 18 inches above them, yesterday durning the day the thermometer read 93 degrees, but it was only like 55 degrees ouside, so even with a 40 degree night it shouldn't have been too cold. And this bird was twice as feathered and twice as big as the other 2, they are all 3 weeks old. Do you think is was the cold? or maybe a Bug Bite? If it was the cold, I would have expected the smaller less feathered ones to have been affected. I'm sad, he was my Favorite out of the 3.

 

[chicmom]

Three weeks old is pretty young.....I always follow the rule that the chicks don't go outside until they're fully feathered, and that's when the weather isn't cold anymore.....Chicks raised in house brooders are generally a little more sensitive to cold than chicks that were raised outside.....So I'm betting it's a temperature issue.

So sorry for your loss! I'd keep a good eye on the other two if you still want to keep them in the garage....

Sharon

 

[kelseygirl707]

Hmm, checked on the remaining two very early this morning, and the thermometer read 91.7 dergrees, so It couldn't have been cold? At three weeks they are technically supposed to be at 75 degrees. I did just open a bran new bag of feed when I moved them out to the garage, but the other two are doing fine, so I don't think it was an issue with the food?

 

[Miss Lydia]

as young as your rooster was I don't know if this would pertain to him but when you said you found him on his back this is what came to mind,:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4970294

 

[kelseygirl707]

Thank you, that actually sounds just like it, he was on his back with feet straight up in the air.