Help! First batch of chicks dying one by one.

[Brandon L]

Hello all. We ordered a batch of 25 chicks from Sandhill Preservation and got them shipped to us Thursday morning. They sent us 28. Two died during shipping, and since then 3 more have died as well. I'm not sure where we are going wrong, or if we can do something else to save them. Here's the story.

Our brooder is a large cardboard box with sand as a substrate. We noticed a couple of the chicks we're pretty lethargic, and they both had one eye crusted shut. Since then we have separated the ones who seemed sick from the rest of the flock, and mixed their water with duramycin-10. Since then, both of their eyes have opened and they seem to be doing better, pecking at sand, eating food, and doing general chicken activity.

The problem we are having is every morning we have woken up to check on them, one of the chicks that seems perfectly healthy has died, and we have no idea why. They are of the same coloration, so I wonder if it was a bad hatch for that particular breed?

I am out of answers. Our brooder is at 90 degrees, they have plenty of fresh water and food and heat, and we have been keeping their litter and their pasty butts clean.

Can somebody help me out? I'm not really sure what other info is needed. Should we give the entire flock antibiotics just to be safe? I'd really rather not medicate the whole flock, but I'm really nervous about the random dying.

Help?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I wouldn't think they need an antibiotic. They need vitamins to aid them in the stress of shipping. Your local feed store should have electrolyte with vitamins for chicks. Soluble in water, add to water dispenser.

Make sure they are eating and drinking water. Also check the temperature under the lamp, 95F first few days to week then down to 90F and ensure they have space to get away from the heat if they want to. They'll readily regulate their own heat so through observation you know if they need less or more. They'll huddle under the lamp if cold and be away from lamp or lethargic and panting if too hot.

 

[Brandon L]

Thanks, I should have elaborated more - their water is mixed with an electrolyte/vitamin mix. We have been changing their water twice daily as well. The other chicks are very active - drinking water, eating, chirping, rooting. I don't know what's causing certain ones to die overnight.

 

[Brandon L]

Just found another one of the same coloration that is on her way to dying. Very lethargic, won't walk.

What could be causing this?

 

[dawg53]

It could be cocci. Purchase Corid 9.6% liquid solution. It'll be in the cattle section at your feed store. Dosage is 9.5cc's per gallon of water for 5-7 days. You might have to use an eyedropperful of the mixture, a drop or two on the side of the beak to your sickest chick(s) to drink. You'll have to do this at least 6-7 times a day until they are well enough to drink the mixture on their own. Do not add anything to the mixture, make it fresh daily, clean your brooder frequently.
If your feed store is closed til Monday, give them a few drops of milk to drink via eyedropper to slow the progress of the cocci until you can get the corid.

 

[Brandon L]

It's possible it's cocci, but they we're all vaccinated by our breeder before they we're shipped, so I'm unsure. Plus, their stool is not bloody.

 

[dawg53]

There are 9 types of cocci that affect poultry, only 2 or 3 of the different strains causes blood in feces. I'm not sure if the vaccine covers all 9 strains.