Help Me ! Why are my Cornish Cross Dying?

[COLE . H]

Hello everyone, I just bought a big batch of 100 Cornish cross. I do their water daily and keep their feeder full. They are one pine shavings, they have a heat lamp and most seem to be doing just fine. But in the past 4 days, I have had 7 deaths. I don't know whats wrong. Please Help!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What temperature are you brooding at and how much room do they have? With that many I would worry about them being too hot or too cold, and potentially smothering each other.

 

[azygous]

Maybe with a bit more information we can figure out why some chicks are dying.

_ How old are the chicks now?
_What are the dimensions of your brooder?
_How warm is it just beneath the lamp on the floor of the brooder?
_How warm is the room where the brooder is?
_What are you using for bedding in the brooder?
_What foods, including treats, are you feeding the chicks?
_Have you provided chick grit?
_Is the feed fresh? Has it gotten damp?

Please answer each question as each will supply a clue.

 

[Mrs. K]

I did not feed mine 24/7, but I did find that they were a bit desperate for water no matter how many times I filled it up. Finally I started soaking the feed to the consistency of good sand castle. They did much better. They eat a lot, a lot of dry feed is dehydrating.

I did not have 100, but I did not have a huge brooder either, and at one week of age, mine went out to their coop. No electricity, no added heat but with huddle boxes they did fine. When they eat that much, they put off a lot of heat!

I feed mine twice a day, about enough to keep them eating for 30 minutes.
Just butchered mine today. Whew, got it done.

It is not uncommon to have some losses. Hope you get it figured out.

Mrs K

 

[SpeckledSussex2005]

When buying cornish x, you should expect a close to 20 percent death rate. Don't worry too much.

 

[COLE . H]

Thank you all so much. And as answers to your earlier questions. They are 5 days old. The dimensions are 3ft x 15ft. The temp just under the heat lamp is not to bad they don't seem to mind the temp. They are kept in the garage which is typically around Seventy to Eighty degrees. We are using pine shavings for bedding. The only thing that I feed them is Dumor chick starter. I didn't know there was chick grit. I thought that grit was too big for them. Is there a smaller type. If so where can I buy it? The feed is kept fresh in a dry cool room. Mrs.K when soaking feed how much water do you put in. Or do you just put it in until it feels right? Thanks again everyone for helping.

 

[SpeckledSussex2005]

Soaked feed - enough water over the feed to where no air can get to the feed. About one or two inches over the feed would be good. If you have a local Tractor Supply store, they will carry it, but sand with large particles (like creek sand) will do it. The best of luck to you!

 

[COLE . H]

ok. Thank you all for helping me

 

[Mrs. K]

Well I did not put that much water on them, I just added some water, added some feed, stirred. My wetted feed would hold their form, like a sand castle.

 

[Mosey2003]

Are there any symptoms?

If you're not feeding medicated chick starter, I might suspect coccidiosis. If the only thing you feed is chick starter, you don't need to add grit. Grit is necessary when you give them other things. But they do sell chick sized grit at most farm stores, typically it's in a yellow bag marked "Chick Grit."