Help! Chicks dying one by one

[Charlie Belle]

12 days ago we purchased 5 porcelain d’uccles from a local hatchery. They were two days old. Then three days later we went back and purchased 4 Millie D’uccles from the same hatchery, same age as the first five. When they were one week old, we found a porcelain had died. Then two days later we noticed a porcelain and a Millie was lethargic. Not eating, drinking, barely could stand up. Isolated them, used a dropper to give them water, the Millie bounced back started eating again but the porcelain died. Then on Saturday, the Millie (maybe the same one) started acting lethargic and another porcelain. Dropper fed them water, tried to give egg yolk, but both died a few hours apart. Isolated. Then this morning, another porcelain had passed. This one showed no signs of lethargy but was blind in one eye and was eating and drinking as of last night. They are on medicated food. We change their bedding, a towel, daily. At first we had then with pine bedding and thought that killed the first one so now just a towel. We have been adding poultry drench because of the blind one in their water. The coup was at 95 on average first week and at 93 this week on average. There are places slightly cooler and up to 97 in one spot. Any thoughts??? We really don’t want to lose the other four. We’ve raise 15 baby chicks before this and never lost one! Please help.

 

[nuthatched]

That's rather hot for chicks, usually the brooder is not hotter than 90 and has lots off cool spots for them to cool off in.
Does the hatchery have any advice? Are they a real hatchery with npip?

 

[nuthatched]

That's rather hot for chicks, usually the brooder is not hotter than 90 and has lots off cool spots for them to cool off in.
Does the hatchery have any advice? Are they a real hatchery with npip?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would also recommend lowering the temp to about 85-90 in the hottest spot. What are their poops looking like? Are any standing puffed up? What is your brooder setup like? In my experience with a mixed flock, bantams can be a bit more fragile at first, but later they do fine. I would look for any pasty butt vents, and make sure they are all taking fluids and eating well. The Poultry NutriDrench is good to use for a few days. Was the blind eye a result of pecking or gunk in the eye? Are you feeding chick crumbles? Do they seem small enough to eat?

 

[Charlie Belle]

the brooders inside our house with a heat lamp that’s raised above. Currently they are in a guinea pig cage bottom (no top). We are feeding them medicated chick starter crumbles. The one with the eye came that way and we tended to her/him quite regularly with tea and animal version of neosporin. Regular water drops in case she couldn’t find the water very well. The eye did open up some and we knew she could see something because she would chase the red dot from the thermometer. The poop of the last five including the blind one was normal but the ones dying all developed diarrhea towards the end. Other than the first one and the blind one their death was slow. The blind one at 3 am was eating and at 5 am was asleep but breathing but had died by 7 am. The others we knew something was off. They stopped eating and drinking. Just wanted to sleep. Eventually couldn’t hold their self up. Breathing changed at the very end. Currently two are starting to act a bit lethargic and the other two are thriving. They are slightly bigger than the rest.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Please post some photos!
Poop, brooder and chicks.

 

[Charlie Belle]

The hatchery isn’t certified and my husband (as these are his babies) described the sick ones as having a “rice krispes” sound in their throat. -snap, crackle, pop.

 

[NatJ]

The coup was at 95 on average first week and at 93 this week on average. There are places slightly cooler and up to 97 in one spot.

Based on what you describe, and what I see in the photos, I would get a BIG cardboard box and give the healthy ones a LOT more space. I mean something about 4-6 feet long, with the heat in one end, and the other end at room temperature. Not warm, but actual room temperature at the far end.

I think they are probably too hot, but if you give them a large space with only one end heated, they will be able to adjust their own temperature by moving back and forth. If you do not have a large enough cardboard box, I woud cut up several and tape them together. (And by watching where the chicks spend their time, you can learn what temperature is comfortable for them right now.)

If more space and more cool area do not help, at least you will have ruled it out. But I think it probably will help a lot.

I would also provide a source of plain water, in addition to the water with nutridrench in it.

 

[Charlie Belle]

Thank you!!! We will definitely adjust the space and temperature.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I agree. More space and adjust temps.
Towels are good, but the little ones soil them so you're constantly having to do laundry.
I've found that puppy pads work great in a brooder inside, you may want to try those if possible.
Keep us posted.