Loosing chicks. Need advise please

[Annawhi]

I keep the floor of my brooders 95 the first week and lower it 5 degrees a week.I also keep them in roomy brooders so they can get away from the heat.I only use ceramic heaters and light bulbs.Never had any issue with hatchery chicks living but I keep mine inside for a minimum of 1-2 weeks

I have the brooder plates so they go under to keep warm. The room itself is 69 at night and 80 in the day. They have tons of room as they are In a tend in the spare room. So no drafts. I planned on keeping them in for at least 4 weeks

 

[ThePhoebeFive]

Hi all! New here but I need opinions. I got a variety of baby chicks last week. I have now lost 2 of them. I noticed that 3 of them are not growing very much and they are not feathering like the others as well. They eat, drink and play fine it seems. No pasty butt. But 2 of those 3 have died. Out of the 2 that passed, one you could see it comming and we tried everything before she died. The other was unexpected as she was running, playing, eating and drinking. Went to bed with all the others and was dead this morning. Now the 3rd is the only silkie in the bunch, runs, plays, eats and drinks, but very tiny. (I ordered more silkies but due to hatching issues the hatchery only sent the 1) I use a heat plate and the ambient temp in the room ranges between 69 and 80 degrees depending on the time of day/night. It will be hotter next week. Is it too hot in the room? Is it failure to thrive? 2 out of 11 seems a lot to loose.

I have never lost any before this. I haven't raised a lot but I raised a small flock of chicks and a few ducks before. We moved to another state and started over. This is my 1st loss. I was doing everything like before and lost them. Maybe just bad luck this time.

From what I've seen, you're doing everything right. 2 out of 11 does seem like a lot, but some years are like that. I've had chickens for 14 years, and up until last year only lost one chick (that TSC threw in because it wasn't doing well). Then last year I lost several and this year I lost one.

I have the brooder plates so they go under to keep warm. The room itself is 69 at night and 80 in the day. They have tons of room as they are In a tend in the spare room. So no drafts. I planned on keeping them in for at least 4 weeks

Heat plates are the way to go. I know everyone has their opinions on that, but I lost a lot of chicks last year due to my heat lamp. I used to use a heat lamp up until last year, but we had a really hard time with controlling the temp for some reason. Now that I've switched to a heat plate, I will never go back. My chicks seem healthier, happier, and feather out fast using the plate.

 

[McChooky]

From what I've seen, you're doing everything right. 2 out of 11 does seem like a lot, but some years are like that. I've had chickens for 14 years, and up until last year only lost one chick (that TSC threw in because it wasn't doing well). Then last year I lost several and this year I lost one.

Heat plates are the way to go. I know everyone has their opinions on that, but I lost a lot of chicks last year due to my heat lamp. I used to use a heat lamp up until last year, but we had a really hard time with controlling the temp for some reason. Now that I've switched to a heat plate, I will never go back. My chicks seem healthier, happier, and feather out fast using the plate.

I don't know any hatchery that'll replace chicks kept in temps below 90 the first week.

 

[McChooky]

My brown leghorns are the healthiest chicks I've ever raised.
All breeds aren't the same!

 

[Mblack4]

Did you mention you were feeding medicated food to silkies? I read that is not the way to go with silkies….that medicated food isn’t good for them.
New to silkies so hopefully someone can piggy back this

 

[FrostRanger]

I don't think you're doing anything wrong, you just wound up with chicks that were frailer than usual and they got too stressed. You just got plain unlucky this year. Just keep on doing what you've been doing and hope the sickly ones make it. Ik it's not easy, but don't give up!

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

Hi all! New here but I need opinions. I got a variety of baby chicks last week. I have now lost 2 of them. I noticed that 3 of them are not growing very much and they are not feathering like the others as well. They eat, drink and play fine it seems. No pasty butt. But 2 of those 3 have died. Out of the 2 that passed, one you could see it comming and we tried everything before she died. The other was unexpected as she was running, playing, eating and drinking. Went to bed with all the others and was dead this morning. Now the 3rd is the only silkie in the bunch, runs, plays, eats and drinks, but very tiny. (I ordered more silkies but due to hatching issues the hatchery only sent the 1) I use a heat plate and the ambient temp in the room ranges between 69 and 80 degrees depending on the time of day/night. It will be hotter next week. Is it too hot in the room? Is it failure to thrive? 2 out of 11 seems a lot to loose.

dude, that's unfortunate, but it's just what happens sometimes. I would offer electrolytes or chick vitamins, but I once lost 4/6 I got at a feed store.