Help need to know what I should do.

[jjhuntsalot]

Just checked on my new babies bantams before I go to sleep. They about 18 of the 50 were wet the water was not empty no one else has been in there since i checked on the when i got home about 7 pm and filled up their water. 6 are already dead the otherswhere huddled up on top of them. the brooder temps were good. Has anyone had this happen before what can i do I know they'll dry but will they get chilled? here is a pic of my brooder set up

these hatched out on Monday and were delivered Wendsday. Been doing well till now

 

[Ema]

I would assume by looking at your pic that they are in too small a brooder for so many chicks. Maybe they are feeling crowded. I had that issue with my 21 and had to give them more space, after I did that they were way better and had no more issues!! Sorry about your loss, its no easy losing them.

also, where is their food and water?? and what is the temp in the brooder right now it should be at 95 C. I did show hubby the pic and he said the chicks are overcrowded!! I hope you find a quick solution.

 

[justbugged]

What does your water set look like, and where is the food? It looks like they don't have enough space. They need to be able to get away from the heat, if they want to. With that many chicks in that small of space, I would worry that they will trample each other.

 

[sunshine23]

I agree, they need more space

 

[ChurkLover]

You mentioned your temp was correct...was it around 90-95 degrees? Is the light far enough away from them or too close to them maybe? I am attaching a link that may help you...good luck.
http://www.strombergschickens.com/stock/chick_care.php

 

[jjhuntsalot]

some of the wet ones and huddled in corner

some of the wet ones and huddled in corner

shows the set up the waterer and feeder

the really wet ones that were getting stepped on.

I thought i would keep them all together for a couple more days to let them get aclimated to the new brooder. The temp stay 92. I have three other brooders set up I just kept them together cause they are so young i thought they would do better together.

 

[hoppychicken]

I can't tell from the picture if your waterer is a big one or a little one (quart). If it is a big one, I would put a little one in there. If you don't have a little one, I would put some marbles or stones in the tray part of the waterer. It looks like they fell in and drowned. Good luck! If it is a small one---I would still put a few marbles or rocks in the tray---since they are bantams.

 

[lorieMN]

the thing with wet cold birds is unless they are totally dead and stiff,you can many times bring them back by warming them,,I use a hair dryer,put them in a towel and rub to kind of fluff up the feathers..you need to get those wet ones warmed up and dried..I have even done this wild birds,I once found a morning dove in a 5 gallon bucket with maybe an inch of water,,I guess it couldnt stretch out its wings enough to get out and had nearly exhuasted itself trying and was soaking wet,,or maybe it was just a stupid one,,but either way I did the same thing with it and it lived and I let it go a few hours after..

 

[TrystInn]

What kind of bulb is that? I'm not sure if you're using white light for the pictures or if that's your setup. It should be a red light so the chicks can sleep. A bright white light will keep some from sleeping and they can and will die of exhaustion. Also, on this note, where's your thermometer? You need to take the temp at the bottom of the brooder.

I agree with the others - put marbles in the water, looks like yours are falling in and getting doused, drowning, etc.

Your brooder is way too small, you need to quadruple that space at minimum. I wouldn't put more than a dozen in the space shown. Crowding causes stress, trampling and smothering. All bad things that cause huge die offs.

It looks like the chicks are trying to get away from the heat lamp, try placing multiple thermometers in the bottom of the brooder so you can provide a cool corner.

 

[jjhuntsalot]

UPDATE
I lost two of the really wet chicks overnight. I did use the link above and went to strombergs and so I moved the red heat lamp bulb down to about 20 inches above the floor of the brooder. Right under it it is stayin 109 over night. The chickens seem to like that better than having it raised higher. They don't stay under the heat lamp though. I am going to get some marbles on my way home to put into the waters so they can't get down in them so far. I also bought some smaller galvanived metal quart jar waterers today and put them in there this morning. I remove the thermometers after i get the brooder set up to the temp I want it. Is that wrong? I have had these four brooders set up since sunday and the temps had stayed constant. Anyway thanks for everyones Help and usefull suggestions.