Thanks for all of your suggestions. The liter is just shavings, the same type I have used before with no problems.
The piece of wood was just there for them to climb on; have used this log before. It's great fun to watch them climb up and then fall down.
The feed was less then two weeks old and they did not seem to have any problems climbing up on the board to get a drink.
The more I think about it the brooder was perhaps too warm. Since the heat is only at one end I figured they would move away from the lamp if they were too hot but when I found them each one near the light.
Its great to have all these experts "near by" to give advice.
sorry for your loss. love the broader. We turned a dresser in to a snake cage similiar to that once. We plexi glassed the whole thing and in the back it had pretty scenery between the glass and the backing..