HELP- one month old chicks started dying this weekend

[stormylady]

Hi Everyone, update on my problem- turns out I was feeding them the wrong food and they died from calcium deficiency. Not a happy story, but at least I know what the cause of the problem was and don't have to worry about all the horrible diseases it could have been. The 2 I have remaining from the first batch are doing OK now that I've changed the feed.

Maybe you all ready said and I missed it but what were you feeding them that was the wrong food? I would just like to know so I don't make a mistake and use it too. Thanks Sandy

 

[Bullwinkle]

Quote:
I also would like to know what you were feeding them. It might help me or others to avoid the same mistake.

 

[THV]

I was feeding them something I purchased in bulk from a local feed store which they said was chick feed. Now I'm feeding them something that is packaged with clear labeling as "medicated chick starter mash" and "medicated chick starter crumble". The original feed is a much coarser grind of grains, looks like lots of corn. The new feeds are a very fine grind for the mash and a bit coarser but still finer crumbly mix, with a strong sweet malt aroma. Original feed was also not labeled as medicated.
I have not purchased layer feed yet, but I won't be surprised if that is what I was feeding the babies.
Hope this helps.

 

[silkiechicken]

You may have been feeding them just a grain scratch mix, or just a grain mix since your issue was a calcium deficiency. Layer feed has too much calcium for chicks, which can lead to other issues.

Glad you figured out the problem though.

 

[JudyH]

Ah.... I'm not surprised and let me tell you why.

I purchased my chicks from a feed store. I asked for the medicated chick starter and they sold me a paper bag of "feed" that they said was chick starter. Well, I watched the guy scoop it out from a bag that just said FEED. I was so leary (sp?) of the feed because I DID NOT read on the bag that it was MEDICATED and that it was CHICK STARTER.... So I just told him to give me 1 scoop.... I just didn't trust what I was buying. So, I went to another feed store and bought a whole bag of what I know is medicated chick starter.

My chicks are double to triple the size and feathered out 100 times more than the chicks that are left at the feed store. Mine are 3 weeks old now. I haven't lost even 1 bird out of the dozen I bought. Well, the ones at the feed store haven't fared so well -- many have died and they all seem to look like they are still "chicks". Whereas, my chicks, all now look like chickens! And I know that they are feeding their chicks the wrong food... they seem to think that they are feeding them the correct food.

I think it is so important that if you buy chicks, make sure that you just go ahead and buy the entire bag of medicated chick starter (and make sure the bag says the contents are medicated chick starter!). I will never trust buying anything in bulk just listed as "FEED"...

I hope that the two chickies you have left continue to do well now. I think this is just one of those learning things that we all have to go through as new chick mommies & daddies. Thank goodness for these message boards because I have learned so much -- things that I never read about in all the chicken raising books that I've been reading in the last year as I prepared for buying chicks this year.

 

[tdgill]

i hope the feed store is feeding the right food now......poor things. sorry if i missed it but someone has to tell them.

 

[toletiquesbysam]

Great Information THV, I'm glad you went with the suggestions and had them tested so you know and we can all learn from it!