Help! I’m losing chicks and I don’t know why!

[brickwall524]

I incubated 40 eggs and had 35 hatch around 5/20 (MUCH better hatch than I thought it would be). I also had ordered 15 chicks and received them in the mail a few days later. In the beginning everyone seemed great, except for one the others were picking on. They pecked her eyes enough to bleed so I separated her from everyone but ended up putting the rest in a large brooder all together. All was well until yesterday morning when I woke up and found one sprawled out dead in a corner and another one who couldn’t walk, was laying sideways and seemed to be having difficulty breathing. So I tried to save the one that was still alive but he ended up passing shortly after. There were 2 others that seemed lethargic (but still standing/walking okay) so I separated them in their own brooder and also put all the rest of the chicks into smaller groups. I also mixed Corid into their water as a precaution. Yesterday everyone seemed fine through the day (except for the 2 that continue to be lethargic) but then this morning I found another one that was having trouble and just passed. Does anyone have any ideas? I’m so worried it’s some kind of illness/disease that is going to take them all out and I would be so upset if I lost them all (or a good portion of them). Please help!

 

[red horse ranch]

If it is the chicks that were shipped that are dying then it's possible they got chilled in shipping. Sometimes it's days later before they get lethargic and then pass. The main thing is to make sure they have warm water with electrolytes to help overcome the shipping stress.
Make sure all of them are able to eat and drink. Have several feeders and water bottles for them and make sure the temperature is warm enough for all of them. If you have separated them it may help as long as they are all warm enough. It sounds like you have quite a few chicks and some shy ones may not be getting what they need.

 

[chickens really]

Temp too warm? Too cold? Pasty butt? Over crowding?

 

[Duck_life]

do you have the correct incubator? the correct temp? enough space? a turner?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Can you post a pic of your brooder?

What is your heat source?
What feed are you using?
How fresh is the feed?
What bedding type ie: pine, aspen etc?
Are you putting treats out for them?
How warm is the brooder?
Any drafts?
Enough ventilation?
Are you giving electrolytes in the water?
Are you putting ACV in the water?
Do you have nutridrench?

 

[brickwall524]

Thank you all for your responses! I actually haven’t lost any of the shipped chicks, they seem to be doing well. The ones I have lost are the ones I hatched. When I had them all in the big brooder box the heat lamp was directly over one side of it just above the top of the box because I figured if they were too hot they would just move further away. There should be enough ventilation and no drafts. Some of them are in a bathroom and some are in a spare bedroom now (they were all in the bathroom before). I was using pine shavings for bedding but switched to straw when I lost a couple thinking maybe it was the shavings? They always have food and water. I have not put electrolytes in the water yet, just the Corid. But it sounds like I should get the electrolytes in there ASAP. Hopefully they have some at Tractor Supply? Not sure where else I could go to get some. I do not have nutridrench and don’t know what ACV is. Are these things I could get at Tractor Supply too?They are eating medicated chick starter (MannaPro), but I switched to that a few days ago. Before that they were eating non medicated as far as I know (I don’t see anywhere on the bag where it says medicated). Both bags were just opened within the last few days so they should be fresh. The temp in their boxes is between 85-90 which I thought was good for one week old chicks.

 

[brickwall524]

This is the only picture I can find that kind of shows what the big box was like. Does it look overcrowded? I had several food and water dishes all around the edges of the box and you can kind of see how the heat lamp was towards one side. I have since moved them all into smaller boxes so that they are in smaller groups.

 

[tpatricco]

...They always have food and water. I have not put electrolytes in the water yet, just the Corid. But it sounds like I should get the electrolytes in there ASAP. Hopefully they have some at Tractor Supply? Not sure where else I could go to get some. I do not have nutridrench and don’t know what ACV is. Are these things I could get at Tractor Supply too?

I've seen in a number of places that if you are treating with Corid you only give them the Corid water - nothing else in the water, and no other sources of water to ensure they drink the medicine.

ACV = apple cider vinegar (must be the kind with the "mother" - unfiltered- not like Heinz) Generally they have it at the supermarket.

Nutri-Drench - most likely at Tractor Supply. I ordered mine on Amazon.

 

[brickwall524]

I've seen in a number of places that if you are treating with Corid you only give them the Corid water - nothing else in the water, and no other sources of water to ensure they drink the medicine.

ACV = apple cider vinegar (must be the kind with the "mother" - unfiltered- not like Heinz) Generally they have it at the supermarket.

Nutri-Drench - most likely at Tractor Supply. I ordered mine on Amazon.

Ok thank you. I Have been giving them the Corid water for a couple days and that’s the only water they have available so they should be getting the medicine. So I shouldn’t combine the Corid and nutridrench?

 

[tpatricco]

Ok thank you. I Have been giving them the Corid water for a couple days and that’s the only water they have available so they should be getting the medicine. So I shouldn’t combine the Corid and nutridrench?

@casportpony can you advise on this question? I'm not sure.