Losing Chicks ADVICE?

[AshleyMeurs]

Hi All,

I really was looking forward to posting that the babies had arrived but i seem to be having some issues so a question post is what i need to do....

So I just got 27 Chicks (hatched on the 24th) on the 25th in the mail from a hatchery nearby and they all survived the trip home, they seemed delighted to get in to their new home, running about eating and drinking fine, but now just 2 days later i have already lost 8 of them, i feel they are being trampled on however as advised they are in a coop with no corners when they sleep they are bunched together but the coop is warm with heat lamp over them and when they are awake they are very active and spread out. We had been advised that we would lose a few but i am starting to get discouraged that every time i go to check on them there are more dead ones is this normal? ... any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
A concerned mama!

 

[Hamstery]

I have no idea ...but wanted to say sorry that this is happening. i hope someone can give you some insight. best of luck.

 

[CorinneP]

That does seem more than normal for sure how big is the brooder you have them in ? 27 chicks would need a pretty big area .. Is your heat adjusted well .. Could they possibly be huddeling towrds the light ? I am very sorry for your loss's 8 is a lot : (

 

[AshleyMeurs]

It is a large brooder and they don't seem to huddle specifically to the light just near the food when i feed them near the water when i water them and out in the open when they sleep. although i dont know if they are all dying from being trampled on because a few don't seem to have broken necks or anything other than they are just lying there dead.

 

[CorinneP]

I recently ordered 20 chicks 1 dead on arival and two who seemed perfect .. dies two days later .. No reason I could figure Luckily the others are doing great . But 8 does seem like a lot to me .

 

[leela2012]

Did you touch their beaks to the water when they arrived? Once mine got some water they perked right up. Also I added electrolytes to the water, seemed to help the extra weak ones. Did they get vaccinated? On medicated feed?

 

[leela2012]

That's terrible to have lost so many, I would be a mess!

 

[AshleyMeurs]

I did touch beaks to water when they arrived - (on advice from BYC!) they seem to be drinking and eating really well ( i change the water at least twice a day (whenever it has anything in it i clean it out (BYC also said they needed clean fresh water at all times) is there a special electrolight powder or something for them i can get from the feed store for their water? I am not sure if they were vaccinated or not i will check with the hatchery today though (Thanks!) and they are on a chick starter feed (not sure if this is medicated?) what should i be looking for in the feed as far as medication goes?

 

[leela2012]

Well, I am new at this too, but my chicks looked sick and I lost one. But anyway, the feed store has an electrolyte powder for them that you mix in the water. My water turned like pee yellow. This seemed to help A LOT! They will tell you the right measure for your waterer. Also if they were vaccinated for Marek's that is good, but make sure they are on medicated feed. Other wise they could get coccidiosis(sp?). It is a sickness that causes loose stool and eventually death. **BUT, make sure they were not also vaccinated for Coccidiosis. If they have been, feeding them the medicated food will make them sick. I know it probably sounds confusing, but most hatcheries don't vaccinate for Coccidiosis. (just double check). So in a nut shell, check to see what they were vaccinated for (if they were), go to the feed store asap, get the powder for the water, make sure you have the right food, and when you get home, touch their beaks to the new electrolyte water. I hope this helps!

1. Marek's only - Medicated feed.
2. Marek's and Coccidiosis - Non medicated feed.
3*- No vaccines - Check with what the feed store reccomends. (sometimes chick death happens because of Marek's disease) Although, I thought it took more than 2 days to kill a chick. I could be wrong.

Good luck, that is so sad. I would probably be sleeping next to mine! LOL I lost one and I cried.... a lot! LOL

 

[leela2012]

When I knew my chick was dying, I got mad thinking that I couldn't believe they didn't have some special medicine I could give it to make it better! LOL So I really hope this electrolyte powder does the trick. It really seemed to perk mine right up.