Losing babies

[minna]

I moved my 4 week babies into the big pen, it's enclosed with boards 3 foot high and then wire up to the roof. They have a light and hay. They have all the food they want and unlimited water. It has just started getting colder here. Somewhere between 30-40 at night at the coldest. Every day I go out to at least one dead chick for the last week. It was 2 this morning. I did some fixing, b/c I thought they were all huddling in a corner and smooshing the bottom unlucky chick/chicks, so I moved the light out of the corner and made the corner inaccessible. I also but extra hay in with them. Dh went in the morning and found 2 more dead. On in the middle of them pen. I don't know what's going on, or what to do. I can't afford to lose these chicks.

 

[MissPrissy]

They are getting too cold. Once they get chilled it can take a few days but usually it is fatal. They need temps in the 75 - 80 degree range at all times right now.

 

[minna]

Even under the heat lamp they are too cold? Dh says that maybe we need 2 heat lamps to make the heating area warmer. Do you think that would work or do I need to just put them back in the brooder? Even though they will be super crowded.

 

[MissPrissy]

They should be fine if you get the temps up in the area they are in now. It needs to be around 80 degrees where they are now.

Put 1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar in 1 gallon of water for a boost to them. Give them some yogurt and warm cooked white rice with their crumbles sprinkled over the top.

If they got too cold you may find a few more dead before things start working out to the better.

 

[minna]

Thanks, I will head out to the store and have their treats ready for them before bed time. Thanks a lot. I told dh no more babies in the winter.

 

[MissPrissy]

Broooding chicks is a PITA at times even in the summer!

 

[minna]

I didn't have a single problem all summer. It was great and fun. Out of 200 I lost like 12. Now I had 90 and have lost around 14. Do you think it maybe because the ones in the summer were hatched local and brought straight to me from the incubator and the ones I have now are hatchery chicks? I hate trial and error.

 

[MissPrissy]

It could be. At any time of year chicks can have issues with failure to thrive. But I am leaning toward being too cold right now.

 

[minna]

Thanks a lot! You are a life saver to some wonderful chicks!