High loses this year

[Farmhand66]

We have about 50 Cornish Cross broilers and we have been losing about a bird every other day. They are about 5 weeks old and apear healthy. They have a continuous supply of fresh water. The only thing we have changed over past years is we went to 17% protein from 20% when they reached 3 weeks. We've never lost this many chickens before. They are fully feathered and our weather is very mild. Any ideas?

 

[KatAndTree]

Any other info? Are they dying slowly or just healthy one day and dead in the morning? How clean or dirty is their area? Did they seem smaller when you got them this year? (Maybe the hatchery got eggs from pullets that were just starting to lay this year, usually are much more fragile).

 

[Farmhand66]

Seem fine at night....then dead in the morning. And it's always just one at a time. I clean their area every day. We even doubled the size of their normal area. I don't think they are any smaller than normal.

 

[LaFleche]

We even doubled the size of their normal area.

Do they have light 24/7?

Your problem might be caused by the additional/doubled space as this would lead to lower temperatures if the heat source was not adjusted.

Can you post a few pictures of your set up for us?