I lost a chick.

[JustChicky]

We had a cold night and I kept checking on the brooder temp. It got down to about 77 and I have been trying to keep it around 80 - 85+. So I made it warmer and checked on them twice during the day. Well in the afternoon when I went out, one of the extra yellow chicks was dead. He had a little bit of shavings in his mouth, but I don't think he suffocated. They weren't cold, by then the temp was close to 90. Just 2 hours earlier they were all fine. I think he was the one having orangish, foamy poo because since he has been gone I haven't seen anymore poo like that. The rest seem healthy and have the occasional runny brown poo. I am sad, it wasn't a Dominique but it still makes me sad.

My chicks are 12 days old.

Does anyone know what might have caused his poo to be orange and foamy? He had it the whole time and this was the only abnormal thing that I noticed. They have only eaten medicated feed, a few bugs and dirt grit.

 

[OkapisRule]

I'd say it's almost definitely not the temp, some disease or other cause than the temp. sorry, but I don't know much bout diseases.

 

[Cheep Mama]

I don't have any ideas on why it died, just wanted to say sorry.

 

[GwenFarms]

Sorry you lost a chick. It sounds as if your temp is fine. Sometimes they just die. You will want to make sure that they have a cool area to get away from the heat if they don't have one. The heat can be just as stressful as cool temps.

 

[JustChicky]

Thank You.

Well it was even colder outside last night but they are all fine and I was able to keep the temp above 80. I guess the little guy was just sick and I couldn't tell.

I do have another yellow one that has always had a weird looking vent. I guess he is pecking at it a lot because it is bare all around it. I try to keep it clean but he pecks at everytime he goes poo. Has anyone else seen this? I know there is a salve I can put on it, I don't know what it is called. Has anyone tried it?

Yes, they can get away from the heat (like temps in the 70s) if they want, but he did die right under the lamp.

 

[gritsar]

Just wanted to say I'm sorry for the loss of your chick. Two of mine died in shipping and it still makes me sad; even though I didn't know them.

 

[GwenFarms]

You have to treat where it is pecked at. I had one to die yesterday from being pecked. It started and was killed with a couple of hours. They were fine, then I went out to check on them and several were pecked, one dead.

I grease their butts, and any other pecked spots, with bearing grease. Its an old remedy, but I guarantee it works. Its thick and goopy. It will quickly break them from pecking as they hate it on their beaks. It is also harmless. We've used it on our chicks for all my life. If you don't have any of that around your garage, or shed (most men have a can of it somewhere) you can put vaseline on them until you get some. Be sure and treat them!

Let me know how it goes.

Gwen

 

[JustChicky]

Quote:
Is the grease blue? I am sure my husband has some, I will ask him later. Thank you.

Quote:
Thank you. I think that is the last thing anyone wants to see. I am glad that my daughter didn't see it. Sorry about your chicks. I thought for sure that I was going to lose some in shipping too, because it took them 2 days to get to me and I only live 3 hours away from Ideal Hatchery but this is the first chick I have lost so far.


I have one more cold night and then it will be warmer at night for a while. Last night was the coldest night and they all did fine. They are in our workshop, but it still gets chilly and so does our house. The only thing I can think of is that he was sick and got a little chilly, because the rest are very active and eating & drinking. They are so sweet.

Is it normal for the males to be bigger than the females at 2 weeks old? I have 3 Dominiques that look huge compared to the rest, even the other yellow males they sent me.

 

[mandomama]

bearing grease...I will remember that. It's a really good idea.

 

[GwenFarms]

Yes, it is usually a dark blue color. I'm sure it is in other colors as well, but what my dh has is a dark blueish color. Put it on any that is pecked and as soon as you see them starting to peck again, even if its just bare spots cover it with the grease. Before long they want be tempted to peck. Cannabilism is hard to break in your chickens if they ever get started. If this pecking isn't stopped as young chicks you run a real risk of having problems right on.