Happening again. Lost first chick

[Kater_tot]

well shit
This spring we lost all 6 chicks and it devastated my kids

We waited and researched and decided to try again. We got our 6 chicks from MPC yesterday morning and everyone seemed great. 2 hours ago everyone was out eating and drinking.

Then we went in and one was laying on its side dead under the heating pad cave. No pasty butt in any of them.

Now when one tries to go into the cave and rest I'm super paranoid no one seems lethargic, or fluffed. Everyone is moving around. One chick is a little less energetic than the others (light Brahma) but I wouldn't say it's lethargic.

What should I be doing? Can I do anything?

They are vaccinated and on medicated feed

 

[chickens really]

Possibly too warm?...Not sure?....Getting too chilled?

 

[chicmom]

Hello! I've never used a brooder cave before. Could you buy a heat lamp and red bulb for them? I use pine shavings in the bottom of mine, and it has solid sides so that no draft an blow on them. Have you seen chicks at the feed store? You set them up just like that. Heat lamp at one end. That way they can run around, in and out from where the heat is, so they don't over heat. So too hot is bad, and too cold is bad. Get yourself a thermometer, (they have special ones for chicken brooders that show the temp for chicks) you put that directly under the lamp, and then you raise or lower the lamp to get that perfect temperature. It's not as hard as you think, and you CAN raise chicks! Also make sure their water is clean and keep their chick crumbles filled up and you'll be good to go! Good luck and I hope you can keep those little fuzzy chicks going!

 

[Kater_tot]

There's a huge thread on here about the heating pad method. They can move away or under the heat as needed, r ac vents closed off where they are. I'm using a dog kennel, sides lined with cardboard and pine shavings

 

[MINDANAO DAVE]

well shit
This spring we lost all 6 chicks and it devastated my kids

We waited and researched and decided to try again. We got our 6 chicks from MPC yesterday morning and everyone seemed great. 2 hours ago everyone was out eating and drinking.

Then we went in and one was laying on its side dead under the heating pad cave. No pasty butt in any of them.

Now when one tries to go into the cave and rest I'm super paranoid no one seems lethargic, or fluffed. Everyone is moving around. One chick is a little less energetic than the others (light Brahma) but I wouldn't say it's lethargic.

What should I be doing? Can I do anything?

They are vaccinated and on medicated feed

I have always had the best luck with a incodescen t light bulb. They may need the warmth like when they are under their mom.

 

[Kater_tot]

I'm hoping that one was just stressed and didn't recover
Others are peeping and hyper

 

[Kater_tot]

We used a bulb last spring when they all died
The heating pad you make a low cave out of so they can go under the warmth, like mom. Or sit on top of it like mom lol.

 

[lazy gardener]

KT, don't jump on the heat lamp band wagon. That is most assuredly not the reason you are loosing chicks. Check the temp in your brooder. If it's super warm in your house, that could be a possible issue. Otherwise, I would attribute it to shipping stress. What is their water source? Any additives? Have you given them Poultry nutri-drench? What are they vaccinated for? What is the temp under the HPC? It should feel comfortably warm to the back of your hand, and they should be able to touch the pad with their backs when they are crouching down a bit. That there are only 6 of them, they should easily be able to find a comfort zone, even if the cave is too high, they can still touch it against the sides. That they are moving in and out from under the pad speaks well that you have it set up right. How big is the brooder, even with MHP, they should have at least a sq. ft. of open space PER CHICK in the brooder to move around and to get away from the HP.

ETA: PER CHICK

 

[Yukidongo]

Ok. I buy a large CLEAR tub from Family Dollar. I clip a "heat lamp" fixture to the handle, put the cord so that it helps hold the fixture. The bulk is a 75 to 100 watt bulb. The top that came with the tub, will fit one end into the other handle for stability, and rest lightly on the cable/fixture, causing about an inch rise and opening at one end. Line th bottom with paper towels (two rows of three covers the size tub I use, 27" top, 24" bottom, 17" height. The light is angled toward the end it is attached to, slightly, and held there by the cross bar. I don't measure temps. I put chicks in there, and initially they find the light area. Turning it toward that end, slightly leaves it so they can move away. Healthy chicks do this instinctually, moving closer and farther away to adjust themselves. I have never lost a chick because of my brooder. I feed Start n Grow.
Do you wash your eggs? Your chicks may be being born "sick". Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't, but I hatched one chick that was never quite right, or perky. Not lethargic, but not active. Clumsy, even. She started stumbling by 10 days old. I took her to the vet. He said she had an encephalitis from sepsis, and it was grown with her in the egg. And, it can happen to one, or all. Might have come from the farm on/in the eggs. Anyway...that's my brooder, very effective. 8 bucks tub/lid. 8 bucks heat lamp with 75-100 watt bulb substituted. Do not use HEAT BULB. Just a regular light bulb.
And, that's my experience with chicks that die. Cost me 75 dollars at the vet. But for 6 dollars, he made me some clindamycin drops, and I use those when I think I have similar illness.
Hope this helps. I think your chicks may be sick. They'll find WARM enough, if it's to be found.

 

[Kater_tot]

All 5 remaining chicks seem super active this afternoon

Vaccinated for Mericks

Water has electrolytes. They have two water sources, a regular one with pebbles in the tray so no one drowns and a nipple one just so the have choices.

House temp is 73, Individual room sensors put the chick room at exactly 73. Under the hwat pad is toasty. I turned it down to medium for a bit but they did some serious huddling in the back corner so I turned it back up. The cave is a disposable aluminum tray that is lined with fabric on the inside. The entry is wrapped with painters tape so there are no sharp edges, the heating pad rests on top covered in shavings.

They have medicated chick feed and a cup of grit out.

Pic of brooder before adding pebbles to water

How much time should they be ow sing in the the cave? One likes it more than the others (our light brahma)

I appreciate all the help!