I lost another chick and don't know why

[pcosmom]

I bought 8 chicks Friday then Saturday got 8 more, Saturday night one of the BR got weak and I noticed his butt was swollen and their was poo that was stuck. I got on line and started trying to figure out what I needed to do and found lots about pasty butt and we soaked him and put some oil on him but he was gone by morning.

Sunday I went and got 12 more chicks which put me at 26. They did great all day Monday and all day Tuesday. Tuesday night after bb practice we get home and the smallest a black banty had passed. We was fine eating and drinking and running around when we left at 6 and gone by 9pm.

Well I went to sleep lastnight after checking on them all just after midnight and everyone was fine. I wake up at 4:00 and check on them and one of my RIR didn't get up and run around when I started checking food and water. So I pick him up and he is really weak. He didn't want to hold his head up very much. I dipped his beak in the water and he lifted his head and drank, but was still really weak, so about 5 minutes later I dipped his beak again, he drank just a little, then chirped silently in my hand. I dipped his beak again after another 5 minutes he drank but then he kind of bent his little neck all crooked and he died all the sudden ( he ike stretched out and got stiff all the sudden).

I'm paranoid that I am going to loose more, I have an idea with the first one what happen, the second one I think may have been smooched he was so much smaller but that is a theory and now I don't know since I lost another one..

What do I need to watch for? Does this just happen sometimes? I don't want to loose anymore, so what do I need to do?

 

[Judy]

I'd make sure they have plenty of space and somewhere to get away from the heat lamp if they want.

Read here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=39604

 

[BorderKelpie]

Unfortunatly, they can be pretty delicate.

What is the temperature in their brooder? What does their stool look like (ie: runny, green, bloody, etc) What are you feeding them? Are you all handling them alot? (every time you do, please wash your hands - I know, I know, everyone does, just make for darn sure you really are, especially the kiddos) Sorry, I work in a hospital lab, bacteria can be devastating.

To start, I would check temps and poop. Make sure the bedding is clean and dry (stick your face in the brooder and sniff - if your eyes water, they're in trouble lol). This will sound weird but, everytime you change their water, wash the bowl/waterer or whatever you use very well with soap. I have noticed that when my DD feeds and waters the chicks, the plastic waterer stinks at the end of the day. (She's a teenager, if she thinks she sees water, they must be ok) I can only begin to imagine what is growing in there.

I have a bad habit of running all my pets' food and water bowls through the dishwasher at least once weekly. Parrots' stuff is done every night. Since I've started that, all my birds are doing better.

I am sorry you're experiencing this. I hope you find the cause soon.

 

[pcosmom]

I don't know the exact temp I need to get a thermometer and put in there, but there is plenty of room to go to the other side of the box to get away from the heat. I raised the light up a good bit this evening, just in case it was to warm, but I keep my house on the cool side only about 65-66

I have been changing the shavings completely every night.

Their poo looks ok to me, not runny, no blood or mucus, it's a brownish with some white in it.

They are eating Dumor chicken starter 20%

Other than the 1st chick I lost I have had no pasty butts, I check them every night when I change their bedding, I take them fro their brooder and and put them in another tub till I get it dumped and fresh.

I try not to let the kids mess with them to much and with 9mnth old twins I constantly wash my hands and use sanitizer.

Before we lost the second one I had moved them from the brooder they where in as the ones I got Friday night decided that they could fly and where jumping out. The tub I put them in till I could figure out a top was taller but not as wide, and for some reason they like to stay hunched up even when not under the light and the 2 little ones always manage to get under neither of the bigger ones ( well now 1 little one)

So this evening I seperated them into 2 different brooders to give them more room just to make sure they have enough. This weekend we are building a bigger brooder to accomadate them growing.