Got my first chicks in, but...

[wrenheninn]

I got 14 Red Sex Links from Ideal and they all looked good. It has been 3 days now and I have lost two already. Is this normal? The rest are looking good with no apparent problems.

 

[plreef]

Its common to lo lose a few chicks. Make sure they have the right temp, food, water, draft free and check for pasty butt.

 

[wrenheninn]

The 1st one that died had hard poo around her vent. The 2nd one had no apparent problems last night but was gone this morning. How oftne should I check for pasty butt? When I found the 1st one I put vaseline on the rest of their vents to try to prevent it in the future.

 

[birdsofparadise]

Pasty butt is brought on by the stress of shipping and by immature digestive systems. If the chicks arenʻt being stresses, the should get over the problem pretty quickly. Gro-Gel B helps since it has the active cultures to jump start their digestion.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Check to make sure your brooder is not too warm. Often a hot brooder will bring on pasty butt, and stress the chicks out leading to early deaths. Look for foamy poop, brighter yellow and running when first out, that helps too, although some of that can be normal if you see it all the time the chicks are stressed.

The best gauge of the chicks temperature needs is them. I don't totally trust thermometers and batches of chicks can vary in needs, as can the brooder vary from time of day or night. I always make sure there is a way the chicks can get away from the heat, and also be right under it. So if you start by checking by thermometer I'd say have the area right under the lamp a bit warmer than the temp for their age, and areas away in the corners too cool. If you then see all the chicks hanging out in the corners you know they are not liking the hotter area and need to reduce that. Keep going till they spread out even, going from warmer to cooler as they wish and seem active and happy.

The other option is an 'electric hen' set up where they can come and go from the warm area and be out in the cool as they desire.

 

[wings]

Sorry to hear about your dead fuzzbutts, but...


WHERE ARE THE PICTURES?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!