Is there an average chick death rate?

[rodandstafffarm]

I got 25 buckeye chicks on Friday. Two were DOA. One day later two more died despite drinking water (one could barely stand). I've checked the temperature of the brooder box, they have plenty of space, air, and I am putting Avia Charge 2000 in the water from McMurray's. I've got them on pine shavings covered with paper towels and changing towels and water and food twice daily. Now one more is on is way out and it looks like possibly another. They just seem to stop moving around much and get trampled so even with me separating them out it doesn't help. No blood in stools. I don't understand what's going wrong or if this is a "normal" loss rate.

June

 

[MareeZoCool]

from Ohio.

I am sorry for the losses you are having.
I haven't any advice nor experience with brooder boxes and chick losses EXCEPT for predators.

all I can say is just keep on trying the best you can.

 

[al6517]

Hatchery buyers always seem to overlook the Mortality rates when ordering chicks, this is a normal occurance and happens way to often, so take this into account order more chicks to make up the DOA's or improve your odds and order from breeders and get better birds and mortality rates will be down.

AL

 

[rodandstafffarm]

BTW, these were not hatchery birds, they were from a breeder in Ohio.