Heat lamp removal at 8 weeks

[Sidneyeve98]

So i had 4 8 week old baby batnam chicks that have had a constant 250 watt heat lamp in their brooder and i have raised it further away from them but kept the same lamp for them i have started to turn it off for small amounts of time during the day and i noticed 2 of my chicks had died not sure why ? But i have 2 more left and i turn the lamp off and they cheep very loudly what am i doind. Wrong?

 

[Kiki]

What is the temperature under your heat lamp with it on and with it off?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Death in 8 week olds who don't really need heat anymore is not really normal, giving more info. will be really helpful (what temps are you talking about?) Have you noticed weird (bloody or yellow foamy) poo? Lethargy? If they're not used to the dark that is probably what the crying is about. That said, only 2 to huddle up together doesn't produce alot of body heat so definitely post what sort of temps they're in and a pic of your setup would help all of the chicken experts (which I am not,) on here.

 

[Sidneyeve98]

One of my chicks that died was lethargic for a few weeks but got up and walked to get eat and drink but other than that layed by himsself in the corner of the brooder. The other chick showed absolutely no signs of sickness or lethargy the chick ran around and seemed perfectly fine and i had shut the heat off for about 30 min and checked on them and the chick that had no signs of illness was laaying limp in the brooder i had turned the heat back on and i had picked it up and it started twitching and its head would bend clear back to its back and stiffen up. It had passed shortly after that and then my lethargic chick i held him wrapped up in a blanket and held him but when i wennt to put him back in his brooder he was gone too.

 

[Sidneyeve98]

No poo was bloody or yellow foam either

 

[SandyRiverChick]

No poo was bloody or yellow foam either

I am SO sorry, that had to be really hard and heartbreaking for you to watch them die. Coccidiosis is so bad in my area (rainy wet Oregon,) this year so that's why I asked about poo and lethargy. I had 1~ 5week old chick that showed signs and thanks to the good folks here at BYC she made it with a solid Corid treatment schedule. Not sure but not sounding like Cocci except for the lethargy. If you have thick bedding maybe you don't see the poo well? How about temps? I really hope your 2 stay healthy. This is the best place to be for support and experience so you're doing the right thing already, imo

 

[3KillerBs]

What are the actual temperatures in the brooder -- both directly under the heat source and at the farthest end of the brooder?

I don't have bantam experience, but my chicks are off heat completely anywhere from 3.5 weeks to 6 weeks depending on weather and how well they're feathering in (and the ones I left on heat until 6 weeks probably could have been off at 5 weeks).

Too much heat is as dangerous or more dangerous than too little, especially as they get older.

 

[Sidneyeve98]

I am SO sorry, that had to be really hard and heartbreaking for you to watch them die. Coccidiosis is so bad in my area (rainy wet Oregon,) this year so that's why I asked about poo and lethargy. I had 1~ 5week old chick that showed signs and thanks to the good folks here at BYC she made it with a solid Corid treatment schedule. Not sure but not sounding like Cocci except for the lethargy. If you have thick bedding maybe you don't see the poo well? How about temps? I really hope your 2 stay healthy. This is the best place to be for support and experience so you're doing the right thing already, imo

I tried to get a good picture of them but they are always on the move. But i do notice their feathers look really ruffled soomedays almost like they are wet or something maybee? And one chicky has feathers that look almost like a mane around his neck?

 

[Weeg]

What is the temperature of the room they are in? What do you feed?

 

[raingarden]

Coccidiosis is so bad in my area (rainy wet Oregon,) this year so that's why I asked about poo and lethargy. I had 1~ 5week old chick that showed signs and thanks to the good folks here at BYC she made it with a solid Corid treatment schedule. Not sure but not sounding like Cocci except for the lethargy. If you have thick bedding maybe you don't see the poo well? How about temps? I really hope your 2 stay healthy. This is the best place to be for support and experience so you're doing the right thing already, imo

I agree with this. When they're that age, I treat with Corid at the first sign of lethargy or weird poop. Once they start going down, you might only have a few hours to react. The first one that was lethargic for weeks might have just failed to thrive.