INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[kanina]

I need help. I'm losing chicks and I don't know why. I'm nervous its the cold, but I'm failing to see how.

So our brooding set-up is as follows. I have this contraption that is wood on the back and top, and wired left, right and front, with a fine mesh on bottom (lets the food and dropping fall but not the toesies). The heat lamp is in the front corner by its door, which is where I imagine the most cold comes in. Its located in my overbuilt garage that is insulated (even the garage door has insulation). Its chilly out there, but its not COLD. It was 40 degrees in the opposite corner from the heat lamp. There are bursts of colder air when the door opens and closes, but other than that, its more secure than Fort Knox so I know its not predators, its mommators.

Details on the chicks, they were born November 13-15, making them 7 weeks old today. They are 99% feathered, still some down on their little bellies.

Last night when I got home there was a dead chick. She was solid and I don't know if it was rigor or frozen (her body was solid but her neck/head moved around), she would have died in the 9-10 hours I was at work because she was alive that morning. This morning when I left for work there was another dead chick, again maybe 9-10 hours between when I saw it last and when I found it dead.

Food and water full, they did have a scoop of layer crumbles mixed in four scoops of chick starter because money is tight this week and I needed their food to stretch to payday.

I can't think of any other circumstances. Cars aren't started until the door is up, we don't sit in there with the car running, door open or not. I've been so fortunate on my fatalities and I am so lost on what I'm messing up here.

Of my 10 OEs, I'm down to 8, and I'm pretty sure 3 are cockrels.



Below is a picture of my brooder. The front and sides have been updated with hardware mesh so its not this open anymore. The light sits in the top right corner, inside the brooder.

 

[pginsber]

I need help. I'm losing chicks and I don't know why. I'm nervous its the cold, but I'm failing to see how.

So our brooding set-up is as follows. I have this contraption that is wood on the back and top, and wired left, right and front, with a fine mesh on bottom (lets the food and dropping fall but not the toesies). The heat lamp is in the front corner by its door, which is where I imagine the most cold comes in. Its located in my overbuilt garage that is insulated (even the garage door has insulation). Its chilly out there, but its not COLD. It was 40 degrees in the opposite corner from the heat lamp. There are bursts of colder air when the door opens and closes, but other than that, its more secure than Fort Knox so I know its not predators, its mommators.

Details on the chicks, they were born November 13-15, making them 7 weeks old today. They are 99% feathered, still some down on their little bellies.

Last night when I got home there was a dead chick. She was solid and I don't know if it was rigor or frozen (her body was solid but her neck/head moved around), she would have died in the 9-10 hours I was at work because she was alive that morning. This morning when I left for work there was another dead chick, again maybe 9-10 hours between when I saw it last and when I found it dead.

Food and water full, they did have a scoop of layer crumbles mixed in four scoops of chick starter because money is tight this week and I needed their food to stretch to payday.

I can't think of any other circumstances. Cars aren't started until the door is up, we don't sit in there with the car running, door open or not. I've been so fortunate on my fatalities and I am so lost on what I'm messing up here.

Of my 10 OEs, I'm down to 8, and I'm pretty sure 3 are cockrels.



Below is a picture of my brooder. The front and sides have been updated with hardware mesh so its not this open anymore. The light sits in the top right corner, inside the brooder.
View attachment 1225393

So sorry to hear about your chick losses. That's hard.
Where were the bodies in relation to the heat lamp? Were they under the lamp or near the lamp or opposite corner, etc.?

 

[Faraday40]

I need help. I'm losing chicks and I don't know why. I'm nervous its the cold, but I'm failing to see how.

So our brooding set-up is as follows. I have this contraption that is wood on the back and top, and wired left, right and front, with a fine mesh on bottom (lets the food and dropping fall but not the toesies). The heat lamp is in the front corner by its door, which is where I imagine the most cold comes in. Its located in my overbuilt garage that is insulated (even the garage door has insulation). Its chilly out there, but its not COLD. It was 40 degrees in the opposite corner from the heat lamp. There are bursts of colder air when the door opens and closes, but other than that, its more secure than Fort Knox so I know its not predators, its mommators.

Details on the chicks, they were born November 13-15, making them 7 weeks old today. They are 99% feathered, still some down on their little bellies.

Last night when I got home there was a dead chick. She was solid and I don't know if it was rigor or frozen (her body was solid but her neck/head moved around), she would have died in the 9-10 hours I was at work because she was alive that morning. This morning when I left for work there was another dead chick, again maybe 9-10 hours between when I saw it last and when I found it dead.

Food and water full, they did have a scoop of layer crumbles mixed in four scoops of chick starter because money is tight this week and I needed their food to stretch to payday.

I can't think of any other circumstances. Cars aren't started until the door is up, we don't sit in there with the car running, door open or not. I've been so fortunate on my fatalities and I am so lost on what I'm messing up here.

Of my 10 OEs, I'm down to 8, and I'm pretty sure 3 are cockrels.



Below is a picture of my brooder. The front and sides have been updated with hardware mesh so its not this open anymore. The light sits in the top right corner, inside the brooder.
View attachment 1225393

By 7 weeks, I would think they should be able to handle 40'F without problems. (I have 4.5 wk old chicks in my coop that's not heated. They have a broody hen, but windchills were -25'F for several nights now and daytime highs have been about 5'F.)

How are the remaining chicks?
Do you see any signs of cocci? (runny or a little blood in poop and fluffed up lethargic look) That's a common reason for seemingly healthy chicks to fail quickly, and the good news is that it can be treated.

Any respiratory issues / wheezing /difficulty breathing?
Are eyes & nostrils watery / discharge?

It's scary to lose 2 so close together. Try to examine them closely & look for any subtle changes. As you know, chickens hide their illness well, but if you can spot a few symptoms, you'll have a starting place on what to research.

 

[kanina]

So sorry to hear about your chick losses. That's hard.
Where were the bodies in relation to the heat lamp? Were they under the lamp or near the lamp or opposite corner, etc.?

The group is huddled fairly close under the heat lamp, which is why cold has been a concern. The two deceased were further across the brooder, more the center of the brooder between the water and the food.

By 7 weeks, I would think they should be able to handle 40'F without problems. (I have 4.5 wk old chicks in my coop that's not heated. They have a broody hen, but windchills were -25'F for several nights now and daytime highs have been about 5'F.)

How are the remaining chicks?
Do you see any signs of cocci? (runny or a little blood in poop and fluffed up lethargic look) That's a common reason for seemingly healthy chicks to fail quickly, and the good news is that it can be treated.

Any respiratory issues / wheezing /difficulty breathing?
Are eyes & nostrils watery / discharge?

It's scary to lose 2 so close together. Try to examine them closely & look for any subtle changes. As you know, chickens hide their illness well, but if you can spot a few symptoms, you'll have a starting place on what to research.

I haven't noticed any respiratory issues, noise or discharge. I wasn't able to do an indepth look at their poop, but from what I saw it too looked ok. I can investigate that further tonight as well as do an individual check on everyone. I need to band them anyways.

Do you think it would be a good idea to put one of my silkie hens in with them? Butternut was being broody before the frigid cold hit, but left her nest. Or move them out with the adults for more warmth? I don't have any heat sources outside, I could figure one out, but I have twice as many bodies out there.

 

[Nyla]

You can always staple some plastic around the brooder and leave one side not facing the breeze open.

The group is huddled fairly close under the heat lamp, which is why cold has been a concern. The two deceased were further across the brooder, more the center of the brooder between the water and the food.



I haven't noticed any respiratory issues, noise or discharge. I wasn't able to do an indepth look at their poop, but from what I saw it too looked ok. I can investigate that further tonight as well as do an individual check on everyone. I need to band them anyways.

Do you think it would be a good idea to put one of my silkie hens in with them? Butternut was being broody before the frigid cold hit, but left her nest. Or move them out with the adults for more warmth? I don't have any heat sources outside, I could figure one out, but I have twice as many bodies out there.

 

[hbrown322]

In regards to frostbite:
I have three pullets with frostbite on their comb/wattles. This is my first time having to deal with this. I am applying green goo at least twice a day. At what point do I need to bring them inside & take further measures? Or am I doing everything I can, and I just need to wait it out?
Their run is about 90% covered with tarp. I have pine shavings/straw down on the ground so they will be more open to coming out for food/water. I try to get home from work before they roost to give them scratch & mealworms.
I clean their coop as best I can. But the poop is frozen solid in the morning when I go to clean. I’m thinking to taking my hair dryer out there this evening to try to defrost the poop to clean it out.
I will try to get pictures tonight/tomorrow of the frostbites pullets. It’s supposed to warm up this weekend, but then I heard there is ice coming Sunday and back to negatives next week.

 

[Nyla]

Where I live at, it's suppose to be above 33F Sunday and Monday but drop dramatically Monday night. My hens I just got have frostbite on their combs as well, they had it before I got them. I just keep putting Vaseline on their combs, waddles, beak and legs. I leave their coop door open all the time. So far they are doing fine, still laying eggs everyday and their frostbite isn't spreading. My muscovy's are shivering like crazy so I keep them locked up unless the temps are 16 F and above.
Best way to clean frozen poop is to use a scraper. I scrap up my coops with a little hand scrapper. Works great!

In regards to frostbite:
I have three pullets with frostbite on their comb/wattles. This is my first time having to deal with this. I am applying green goo at least twice a day. At what point do I need to bring them inside & take further measures? Or am I doing everything I can, and I just need to wait it out?
Their run is about 90% covered with tarp. I have pine shavings/straw down on the ground so they will be more open to coming out for food/water. I try to get home from work before they roost to give them scratch & mealworms.
I clean their coop as best I can. But the poop is frozen solid in the morning when I go to clean. I’m thinking to taking my hair dryer out there this evening to try to defrost the poop to clean it out.
I will try to get pictures tonight/tomorrow of the frostbites pullets. It’s supposed to warm up this weekend, but then I heard there is ice coming Sunday and back to negatives next week.

 

[hbrown322]

I have a scrapper, but the poop won’t budge! ‍

Where I live at, it's suppose to be above 33F Sunday and Monday but drop dramatically Monday night. My hens I just got have frostbite on their combs as well, they had it before I got them. I just keep putting Vaseline on their combs, waddles, beak and legs. I leave their coop door open all the time. So far they are doing fine, still laying eggs everyday and their frostbite isn't spreading. My muscovy's are shivering like crazy so I keep them locked up unless the temps are 16 F and above.
Best way to clean frozen poop is to use a scraper. I scrap up my coops with a little hand scrapper. Works great!

 

[Faraday40]

I have a scrapper, but the poop won’t budge! ‍

x2!!!! LOL

On the plus side, I can sift my sand very quickly. Nothing easier than a kitty litter scooper & frozen poop-cicles. The problem is those stray presents that land on the roosts. A scrapper works great above 0 'F, but not so well when my own fingers start freezing through my gloves.

 

[Leahs Mom]

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